


Never Forget

by mychippedcups



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Childbirth, F/M, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-02
Updated: 2013-09-15
Packaged: 2017-12-22 05:17:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 28,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/909362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mychippedcups/pseuds/mychippedcups
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Skin Deep, Regina is finally playing her 'card' and releases Belle from the asylum. But with her release a new surprise comes with it when Belle is actually carrying a child in her womb.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys :3 I was bored and I had this crazy idea for a while now so I though "Lets right some crap" and even if I don't really know how to write well here's my first fanfiction. I know I suck you don't need to say that. But hope y'all like it ;)

Chapter 1 – Belle (Storybrooke)

It was always the same. It never changed. Always the same day, like she was stuck in an endless circle. Always alone, in that little and white room, with wall pads, a simple bed and only on window that was too high from her feet, never letting her see what was behind that room. Every day they would bring her food (two meals made by bread, that weren't capable to feed even a blind man) and some pills that they would make her take, even if she refuses.

Unlike the other persons that probably were in that place, she knew she wasn't crazy. Never knew why she was here. The true is, she couldn't remember a lot from her life away from that room. She remembered that she had a father, owner of the little flower shop in that town called "Game Of Throns". Nothing more… the rest was all blank.

Besides, she never had anyone to talk too or tell her what was going on there. The nurse that came in every day giving her the food and pills, that shower her one time per week and sometimes force her to clean the halls, only made her feel even more crazy. She treated her like she was not even a person, like she deserved this destiny. This made her whish even more each that… Wish that she could get out of here. Everything that she wanted right now was to have a life, meet people… be free and never again go back to that place.

There was only one thing different, and it happened usually. What happened was that she sees sometimes the eyes of a woman through the small window in the door. Cold eyes that scared her every single that she looked at them. Like it someway they could hurt her or like they had already done that. One thing was right; they weren't the nurse's eyes. It was someone else! That means that there was a way out of there. One way out of that place… that was all she could thing off.

Suddenly she just hears steps, and steps, and steps, always at the same rhythm like they were in a perfect synchronization. Pum… pum… pum… Was all that she could hear, and the sound was closer and closer. PUM… PUM… PUM…

She was just looking at the iron door that was in the other side of the room. And then, the steps stopped and the whicker of the door opening took their place. No… not now… she though. She didn't want more pills, didn't want more tranquilizers or whatever they gave her. That way she bowed her head, and got the same between her legs not wanting look at that women's face again.

She could feel the person approach and, suddenly, she felt a hand making pressure on her chin, forcing her to look at her. And when she opened her eyes she didn't know how to react. The lady of the eyes was there… right ahead of her. She wanted to scream of moments but although that will she stayed quiet in her place, in her bed. And then the women just laugh. A deep laugh that made her spine have goose bumps.

"The cat got your tongue?" Saied the woman in short black hair, with a certain irony. She took a few steps to her right and then she simply leaned on the wall. "You don't remember me, do you?" She asked and then there was a long silence. She didn't remember that woman just like she didn't remember almost anyone. She tried for moments to remember but nothing came out. "Of course you don't remember! What as stupid question, don't you think? You've been here long enough to not remember anything. Whatever… That doesn't matter right now, right?" She spoke again and then other laugh came out of her mouth. "Your daddy is upstairs."

When the woman said that words she lifted her head completely. He was there… He was taking her out of this place! Had to take!

"Oh sweetheart… He didn't come for you! He had just… a little accident. Let's just say he mess around with the wrong person." She took two steps in her direction. "Do you remember Mr. Gold? Again, I don't think so. But for now on you should really hate him. At the end, he almost killed your father! Poor man." She finalized with other laugh like that was some joke. Then she went in her direction again and took her arm forcing her to get up. "Come on!" She said with a smile upon her face. It didn't look like a friendly smile, but yes like she was putting a card into a game. Then she just looked down and put one of her hands over her belly and for the first time in a long time she remember the oval form that the same had. "We are not going to let someone have a child in a place like this."

Enchanted Forest (Belle)

It was a bright, beautiful and clean day in that little town of the Enchanted Forest that they liked to call Avonlea. The sun that shone the gardens of the palace gave a new experience thereto, a vernal experience that was capable to make any person feel like a child again.

And saying the true, in those same gardens there was really someone that had the spirit and the body of a child. A little girl that wasn't much older than five years old, with clear skin, long brown and curly hair and owner of two beautiful sapphires that she could call eyes. Now her body was covered by a little yellow dress that almost touched the floor and spoiled the same.

At her side found his mother that holds the hand of her daughter with care at the same time that guides them to one of the banks of white stone. The woman sat down first and then she took the little child and sat her in her lap.

A smile was upon the child face when she looked at her mother. It was like she was in front of a god or something like that. In this case, she was her god… because she loved her more than anyone ever will. But when she looked away, her smile was gone and she started to play with her fingers.

"What's wrong, my angle?" The mother asked while she was giving pampering in her daughters head.

"Papa never plays or is with me… It always needs to be you… all alone." She confessed. She felt like her mother was the only person in the whole world that didn't mind to abdicate a little bit of her time to be with her, to play with her, to give her pampering that any other child needed.

"Your father is working… he's protecting the kingdom for when you grow and succeed the throne the same is stable and the people of Avonlea happy. You want that don't you?"

"I know… and I want too! I would do anything to protect the kingdom when I grow up! But sometime it feels like he doesn't even care for me… It's like I'm just another piece in the kingdom… That I'm not even his daughter. I just want papa to realize that I need him because I love him and I love you and I want to play with my papa just like the kids in the village do!"

"Never say that again… your father loves you with a whole world, like I love you and like any other person will. I know you want to play with him but you just need to understand that your dad is not just a dad from the village… he's the king." The mother said and the she kissed her daughters head. "When you grow up you will understand every single thing. When you are a lady, a queen, have your own husband and kids, you will understand the sacrifices that you need to make for them. In this case your father needs to sacrifice the time that he could spend with you for the kingdom and his own good. But parents never forget their children, because at the end… there is no worst curse that don't remember the people you love, my little Belle."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here it goes the second chapter :)

Chapter 2 – Belle (Storybrooke)

When they climbed the asylum stairs and the woman opened the door, for the first time in a long time she smiled. That beautiful smile came out of her lips because she knew then that she was finally out of that place and was never going to come back.

The woman looked at her and for some reason she was laughing again.

"Follow me." She demanded and they start walking off the building. She looked around to see the dense forest that was surrounding the place. That smell… It felt good. And the sky? It was blue like she never remembered! She looked down and placed her right hand above her belly. It was not just her that was free now. It was also that baby… her baby. Even if she didn't remember anything from her life she had that.

The woman opened a door of an object that she couldn't remember the name and made her get inside it. After the woman got in also, they started moving and she looked at her.

"Where are we going?" She asked the woman while stuttering a little bit.

"Town… Storybrooke if I need to be specific." She answered. "There are a few things you should know." She said and all of her attention was on the woman now. "You will stay at Granny's for now till you can find a place to live, and the bills will be paid by the town till you got a real job."

"What about… This is going to sound crazy but… What about my name?" She asked still stuttering. She didn't care where she would stay or where she will work… she just wanted to remember her name! Maybe that will be enough to remember everything she had been though. Even so… she still never got it how in just six months she could forget all her life. It was almost impossible.

The woman laughs again.

"You are Isabelle French of course… How could you forget that?" She said like it as too obvious. Isabelle French… Yes she remembered that now! How she used to spend the evenings reading books and books and… more books. How her friends always used to call her Belle. How she used to help her father in the shop, doing arrangements of flowers or cleaning. But then she looked at her belly again… she remembered everything she had been trough but why didn't she remembered how she got this child in her womb?

"And I am Regina Mills… Mayor of the town." She finalized and then pulls over next to a place with a sign saying 'Granny's Dinner'. They got off the object and started walking to the dinner. They climbed the little stairs and got into the dinner.

It wasn't full of people like Belle had imagined. They were there just a few people sitting on the tables and two behind the balcony, one young and tall girl with long brown hair and an older woman with gray hair, looking just like a normal image of a granny.

Regina gave a few steps in the direction of the balcony and just gave a fake smile to the woman. They start talking, even if the older woman didn't look happy about it, while she was standing there, looking around the dinner like she hadn't saw something so nice looking in ages!

"Miss French…" She heard Regina's voice and looked at her again. Behind her were the older woman with a serious face and the young one with a smile in her lips. "This is Widow and Ruby Lucas. They will take care of you so if you need anything just asked them. Now I need to take care of… things. I'll see you again." Regina finalized with a little smile and just went out of the dinner like nothing had happened.

Belle just forgot about that and looked at both, giving them a smile.

"You poor thing… you look like you've been starving for months! Here, let's being you some food." The older woman said, made her sit in one of the tables and the next thing she knows they are both gone for the kitchen.

In that exact moment she felt… good… happy? It could be that. Maybe because, after all the months that felt like years, someone was taking care of her. They were actually making her food, hot food. She could already smell it. One thing was sure… she wasn't going to eat that crappy food from the asylum and thank god for that.

For moments she asked herself how was going to be her life for now on. Without pills, without cleaning halls, without taking a bath one a week… without feeling crazy. It would finally be a good life, all that she dreamed of since the moment she could remember being in the asylum.

She started to play with her fingers will waiting, moving them around, feeling the nails in her own skin. And she smiled, because since she got out, she couldn't think in anything else.

"That is a big smile you got there." She heard a voice and then looked up to see the young girl, at what Regina called Ruby, standing there with a plate of food in her hands. "There you go." She placed the plate in front of her and sat in the chair in front of her.

Belle looked for moments the plate and then just started eating. And it was great, it was incredible, it was warm.

"Wow… That looks like you haven't been eating for months." Ruby said with a laugh.

"Almost like it." She answered with a little smile.

Ruby smiled. "I'm Ruby but… I think Mayor Mills actually made the introduction earlier. What about you?"

"Isabelle French… but of what I can remember people used to call me Belle. I never understood why." She was sincere.

"What about his… or her?" Ruby said pointing to Belle's belly.

Belle looked down while cherished her belly. She didn't know if it was a she or a he but she knew that it was her baby. "I don't know… I mean I don't even know if it is a girl or a boy."

"Well… I know that with a mom like you is going to be a beautiful child. What about the father?"

The father… what about him? She didn't even remember who he was. She didn't even remember being intimidated with anyone. But that didn't mind right now, right? She mean, there are so many single moms out there that are capable of taking care of their children alone, so at the end she was capable of doing that also!

"I… I don't know about him." Belle confessed and then the smile in her face was gone. It should be gone but it was, even if she said that not knowing anything about the father, it was still hard of her to take it.

"Well… I don't think that maters right now because…" Ruby would end the phrase but the slam of the door was stronger. Ruby's eyes looked right away in that direction while Belle just stud there without looking behind her to see who had coming in.

"Miss Lucas where is your grandmother?" A male voice asked.

"What do you want now Gold?" Ruby asked. Gold? Like Mr. Gold… the man that Regina talked to her about. The man that beat her father.

Mr. Gold (Storybrooke)

Gold looked at Ruby and just laugh. He just got out of jail and what a great welcome that everybody gave him. It always felt good didn't? Always the monster…

"Really easy of course… It's about the rent… Growing up this month!" He said like it was too obvious. Ruby looked at him like in that moment she was capable of killing him, but then again, it was going to be really hard.

"I will call her… In the meantime don't torture the girl." She said while pointing at the girl sitting in front of her. She got up and when he noticed, also already gone.

Gold took a few steps in the table direction and paused a few inches away from the same. "And who would you be?" He asked while looking at the girls back.

But them she turned around and looked right in his eyes and then his world fall. That blue eyes… that brown curly hair… it was Belle… his Belle was there… his Belle was alive.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for making Gold looking so bad thanks to Regina but it's not my fault! It's my brains fault because he just loves to destroy this I love

Chapter 3 – Mr. Gold (Storybrooke)

He could really believe in what he saw. He was frozen while looking at her. That hair, those eyes, that mouth, that face, that body… It was her. But at the same time it couldn't be, right? She was dead. She was gone forever. She was not coming back. Probably this was all a mirage. Probably his eyes only saw what he wanted to see. She was really dead. Her father killed her… killed his own daughter. That was what Regina…

Wait… That was what Regina told him. Regina! How could he believe in Regina? She knew this entire time that she was alive and lied to him right in front of his face! That evil evil soul… That evil witch! He was going to kill her!

He looked again to Belle. She looked like and hasn't eaten anything for weeks, maybe even months. She had little scars in her, red as blood. She did this to her? Now she was really going to burn in hell.

He took some steps in her direction and put his hand above her should while hold it tight. She was real. She was really real. He couldn't cry but he wanted to. Here he was Gold… not Rumplestiltskin. And she wasn't Belle. But that didn't matter right? She was alive.

Gold made Belle get up and then he just stud there with doing nothing. He could see that she was more than confused in that moment but he didn't care, did he? He just hugged her next. She was there, in his arms and he didn't want to let her go now or ever. But he felt something doing pressure in his body, not letting him feel all of Belle's body.

Then he looked down at her belly. It was not her simple belly… it was oval like a pregnant woman. And then he realized… She was pregnant? No… it couldn't be. How could she? It was not like she was some whore.

"You're pregnant…" He simply said and then looked at her eyes. She was afraid. She was afraid of him, he could see that. Why would she be afraid? But then, with her look, he remembered. "How many months are you?" He asked. He needed it to know. He needed to know if it was the night. The night that she tried to prove him that she didn't care what was between them, that she loved him.

"W-why do you want to know?" She said while shaking a little bit. The fear was taking control of her body.

"I just need… please." He said. What was the last time he said please this way to someone? He couldn't even remember.

"E-e-eight months." She said while stuttering. Gold almost felt into the floor with that answer. It couldn't be… Eight months before the curse. The month he shut her off. The month she proved him, and still he didn't believed in her.

He looked at Belle again and tears you're falling down her face already. She was really scared. No… she didn't have to be scared of him. "No… no no no Belle don't cry…" He said while trying to reach her again but her refused his touch.

"Let go of me! Don't you think you've done enough? You've beat the hell out of my father and now you want to hurt my baby?!" She said almost screaming. He would never harm her. Never never in his life. Her or the baby. Now her father was other story. That bloody man… he never liked him and he was pretty sure that bad things would've happened if he saw his daughter pregnant.

"Is there any problem here, ?" He heard a voice behind him and when he looked at the owner of the same he saw Ruby Lucas standing there with arms crossed above her chest.

"No… I was just leaving…"

"What about…" She starts the phase but Gold cut her right in the middle.

"I just remember I've got other things to do…" He just said and gave a last look at the crying Belle next to him. But then he just got out of the dinner. He had to kill a queen.

Belle (Storybrooke)

She watches him leaving the dinner and then fell behind, sitting again in the chair. Tears were still coming down her face while she was making a protective gest in her belly. He wanted to hurt her baby just like he did her father. She was not going to let him do it.

Ruby came up to her and hugged her whispering in her ear that everything was alright and that Gold was not going to hurt her… she wouldn't let him. How could she be so sure about it? But Isabelle knew that she couldn't afford to think like that.

"He knew…" She whispered to Ruby.

"He knew what?" Ruby asked while looking right in her eyes.

"My name… He called me Belle… He knew…" Belle said while stuttering.

"Shh… Belle is okay. Mr Gold knows everyone, its normal." Ruby tried to comfort her. "Think in good things. Like… the baby! Think about the baby. What do you want it to be?" She said while smiling. Belle looked up to Ruby and tried to stop crying.

"A boy… A little boy." She said while trying to forget and thinking about her baby.

"And if it is a baby boy… What will be the name?"

"Aaron…" She said while showing Ruby a little smile. The tears stop and she clean her face, cleaning the tears the remained. "His name will be Aaron."

Mr. Gold (Storybrooke)

Gold couldn't still believe in the bomb that fell in his life. All he could think about know what was in her… and the baby. Her baby, and mostly like it… his baby. All this time, he though she was dead, and now she is not just back, but also pregnant? The blame feeling was hitting Gold like hell. Because at the end… he was still the coward that he all was. Milah noticed, Bae noticed, and Belle noticed.

He went to the shop and when he enters the same, the first thing he noticed what that evil soul, standing there while kidding with the chipped cup… Belle's cup. She looked up and just laugh, one of her evil laughs that made him want to killer even more. This was not one of her stupid little games and it wasn't going to end well.

"Angry, are we? What is this time? Are you going to end up in the jail again?" She asked and put down the cup in the glass balcony.

"Ohh… you know what is going on! You always knew!" He said and then went in Regina's direction. Pressing the cane against her neck. "And now your majesty… give me a good reason why shouldn't I kill you right now!"

Regina just laughs again. "Because there is something you want more then killing me."

"And what would that be?" He asked with a certain irony. She didn't know anything, but yet, she still tried. For some reason she was still the Evil Queen.

"Your little caretaker and that creature safe and sound, of course!" She said while laughing. Gold just stud there for a few moments and then let Regina go. "See? I know what you want! But… let's face it. It isn't hard to guess. You should be more careful with your weaknesses Rumple."

"What do you want, your majesty?" He said almost losing his own mind that that soul. She was really Regina… always getting what she wants, wasn't she?  
"Easy enough… I just want you to do as I say for now on."

Gold just laugh. "And if I don't?"

"They die." Those were her last words before get out of the pawnshop. And then he looked around. That evil soul always playing her cards at the right time. But at the end he felt like it was his fault. If it wasn't for him, Belle would have the best life, but that wasn't the truth.

He looked at the chipped cup, and for the first time in a long time… cried. Because at the end, she was scared of him. But that wasn't going to last forever… Because at the end… he will get her back.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Belle (Storybrooke)

The sunlight enters in the little room from the window, illuminating the white sheets from the bed where Belle was sleeping. But at the same moment that the sun slammed in her eyes a smile showed up in her face. It was the first time in months that she was actually waking up with the sunlight and it was something that she couldn't resist.

The beautiful blue eyes opened to see the window in front of her and then look around the room. It was clean, with a simple jacket in the stand clothes hanger and some new clothes that Ruby had offered her last night. She had promised Belle that they would go on shopping one of these days, buying some clothes that can actually fit in Belle with the extra package.

She sat down in her bed and then looked at her belly with smiling. "Long day ahead of us don't you think?" She said and then laughs. She was actually talking to her belly… next thing she knows she is singing lullabies.

Getting up, taking a shower and dress new clothes… this was something that she could actually get used to it again. So simple, but for moments, was so amazing. Belle was actually really amazed that she could actually start doing that again.

Step by step, she follows Ruby's instructions and went to the dinner. If last night there was almost anyone there, this morning was the opposite. The space was full of people with their coffees, pancakes and other kinds of food.

"Belle!" She heard a voice screaming from the balcony. A smile showed up in her face when she saw Ruby. She went in her direction and then sat down in one of the free banks. "Just in time… I have something for you." She said and then put a plate with pancakes in front of her. "This is a classic. I kind a like it when it gets on everything."

Belle couldn't help but smile. She didn't even remember the taste of pancakes but after the first bit she could definitely say that it was one of the best things she ever ate. "Why… thank you."

Ruby smiled. "So… what are you going to do today? I was thinking that we could do the shopping today. We could buy some things for the baby even."

She laughs. "I was thinking more in go find a job."

"Yes, because the best thing an 8 months pregnant woman could do is going job haunting!" Ruby said with a certain irony while laughing.

"Even pregnant women need money to live and since I don't have any, it sounds like a pretty good idea to me." She said and then gave another bit in the pancakes.

"Well, if job is the problem you could work here at the dinner! I mean we have Ashley already but now with the baby and the entire marriage thing with Sean we don't have an extra help for the night shift, so you could fill it… if you want of course."

A smile showed up upon Isabelle's face. "Are you for real?"

Ruby laughs. "Yes… I am for real. Now do you accept it or not?"

"Yes!" She said without thinking twice. Well, finding a job was easier than she tough.

"Great… now what did you said about shopping?" Ruby said with a smile. It looks like it was going to be a shopping day.

…..

Storybrooke was not a big town, but thanks to that, it didn't have also a bunch of babies' stores. For saying the truth it only had one, not every far away from the dinner. Colored in a baby blue on the outside and a light orange on the inside. Everything was in their place, organized by genres (half for the girl part and the other half for the boy part).

Isabelle was smiling while looking around the store. She was actually doing this… buying things for her baby. It felt so… maternal? A hand was above her swollen belly while she took simple and little steps trough the store.

And even if she didn't know the genre of the baby, the first thing Ruby did was going to the boy's part. Maybe last night talk made her think that she would have a baby boy. Belle laughs and went in her direction.

"What are you doing?" She asked while Ruby took a pair of little white shoes and start to kidding with them when she looked at Belle. "Ruby stop… I don't even know if it is a boy or a girl." She laughs.

"Well, you should know… I mean did you ever had an echography?" She said and then put the shoes back in their place.

"No…"

"See?" Ruby cut her. "You don't even know if he is a healthy baby or not! But I tell you Isabelle! You are having an Aaron… Aaron French… sounds good."

Belle laugh and then looked at the bottom of the stand where there were a bunch of teddies bears. "Maybe a teddy bear for now is enough… and maybe a baby crib."

"Well… we could buy the teddy bear now and then go to Marco's! He is the wood master and I bet he has so awesome cribs." Ruby took one of the teddies bears and then laugh.

While Ruby went buying the stuffy bear, Belle went outside. Some fresh air seemed what she needed. She leaned against one of the walls next to the stop and just waited for her. Her hand was still pressed against her belly and then she looked down, caressing her. After so much time in the asylum she completely forgot about her baby, about that pregnancy. How was that even possible? How could someone forget that she was pregnant of her first born? Well, it wasn't possible… and at the same it was. At the end, she had forgotten. Probably it was because of the drugs and pills. Probably she wanted to forget. She couldn't even find an answer to that question hovering in her mind since yesterday.

She looked up again but at that exact moment something catch her attention. In front of the old pawnshop there was someone… Mr. Gold. He was just there, standing in the same place for some time. She knew that she didn't like him… or at least that's what she thinks. She had no right to judge him, but he beat her father. What kind of man does that? Regina was probably right… she should stay away from him. But then he looked at her.

Right in her direction, Gold's eyes were watching her. She didn't mind with that, but that eyes didn't fit in. She could swear that she saw Mr. Gold before, and when she says before she didn't mean last night. And after all, she was still scared of them.

Ruby got out of the store and just touched in Belle's arm. "Come on French fries your baby's crib is waiting."

After all, they just needed to walk a few blocks to Marco's office. Ruby kept talking about how she couldn't wait for the next Sunday and how that was her day off at night and she could go on "haunting some new meat". But even Ruby's talk couldn't make Belles' mind forget Mr. Gold's eyes. He looked actually sad. Why would he be like that? How could some cruel man be actually sad? But it wasn't her fantasy… it was the true and what she saw.

Marco's office was full of wooden stuff like it was to imagine. Clocks of every kind and colors. There were also puppets… cute puppets actually that looked almost like really boys and girls. They made Belle smile like she never did. When Ruby said that Marco was good in his job she never imagined him being so perfect with his hands.

"Ruby… why hello." He said. Marco was an old man, looked like a really Italian grandfather with his sagging skin and grey hair. "And who is the beauty?" He laughs.

"Isabelle French… it's a pleasure sir." Belle said while smiling at the woodworker.

"And what can I do for you girls?" He said with a smile.

"We are looking for a crib for Aaron, Belle's baby!" Ruby said enthusiastic.

Marco looked at her belly and laugh. "I always wanted to be a father but I was never lucky enough. But I swear I will build you the best crib that Storybrooke ever saw."

Belle's face was petrified. He was actually doing her a crib? For her baby? It was like a dream. Nobody knew her, yet they were nice to her. It couldn't make her feel better then she already was. "Why… thank you."

"Everything for a mother and her baby." Marco said. Yes… Everything for mother and her baby.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Belle (Storybrooke)

She didn't know where she was. She couldn't see anything. She was afraid. Afraid of what? She didn't know. Her eyes were simply closed, afraid of the terror that could be around her… or the baby. In that exact moment she remembered her belly, but when she pressed her palm against it she almost scream. She didn't have a swollen belly, but in her place it was a shallow belly.

Her eyes opened instantly and when she looked down she wasn't pregnant anymore. She started to panic. Where was her baby? What had happened? How could she not notice this?

Tears were falling from her face. The terror was increasing every single moment and all she could do was scream a single word. Help. She was running around in circles, in that black place, hoping to find something or someone that could tell her what was happening and where was her baby. And then she fell into the cold ground.

Then she heard something. And she rises from the ground to look forward and she a man in a spinning wheel. It was always the same move. And that imagine in front of her… it looked so familiar but at the same time she couldn't remember here she saw that.

"You lied." It was just what he said. Repeated that several times but she never understood why. She lied? Lied about what? Who was that man? And why he kept saying that? "Now you lost him…" She was even more afraid when she heard that. The sound of a baby crying was all that she could hear now. It came from a crib next to the spinning wheel that wasn't there before. She took a few steps in the direction of the same.

All that there was in the crib was sheets. But the crying didn't stop. She tried to take the sheets of the crib but they never ended. Her tears were now red as blood but she still fought. She was going to find him. She was… she was… She was! But then all she could see was blood. And a last scream of pain.

Belle woke up screaming in her room, tears still falling from her face, while her hand was above her swollen belly. It was all okay. It was just a dream… with a spinning wheel, and blood. And what a weird nightmare. Why should she have a nightmare like that? For now she didn't have an answer for that question and she was pretty sure that she would never have.

Even trough, she got up and did everything like the usual. Brush her teeth, take a shower, dress new clothes, brush her hair, put some shoes on and be off in direction of the dinner.

When she entered the same, like every morning, it was full of people, running around through the door probably late for work or simply trying to relax for the long day ahead.

"Hey there Belle!" She heard Ruby's voice from behind the balcony. Belle smiled while looking at her and then smiled.

"Great another Ashley Boyd in the way." She heard a man in the other side of the balcony. It didn't look like it was the best friend of the world but it didn't look like the worst of them all at the same time.

"Forget Leroy… he is all this way." Ruby said and then laughs. "Ready for tomorrow? First day of work must be exited!"

"Tomorrow? What about today?" Belle asked confused.

"Today is the Miner's Day… We are closed tonight!" Ruby said and in that exact moment a woman comes into the dinner. Her skin was white as snow, her hair dark as night and her lips red as blood. And that was what Isabelle could call a beautiful woman. And at the same time it looked like a nice person. But the eyes from the persons around the dinner didn't look like they though that.

"Excuse me. Can I have everyone's attention please? I'm sorry to interrupt your morning but I just wanted to remind everyone that a very special occasion is upon us. Miner's day! As always, the nuns of Storybrooke are hoping that everyone will get involved and help to sell their candles. All we need are a few energetic volunteers! So how wants to join me?" The woman said and for a few moments there was silence in the dinner and them everyone ignore her.

Belle felt bad about the woman. She was at least trying to help someone. The whisperings where starting to take over the dinner and them when the woman looked to lose all her hope Belle raised her arm.

"I want!" She said and the woman and everyone on the dinner looked at her like there were surprised about it. What have she done wrong? Taking a few steps in the woman's direction, she stopped in front of her and smiled.

"You really want to join me?" The woman asked and a smile showed up in her face.

"Of course! I mean, why not? You look like you really need some help! Also, I think is a good way to start to be more involved with the town." Belle said with a smile upon her face.

"Well then… I don't think is a good start to be helping the town harlot."

"Then you may say to the people that you don't look like a harlot to me. So you may point there the name Isabelle French and her extra package." She said with a laugh.

"Well, I'm Mary Margaret and thank you… See you around." She finally said and then Belle returned to Ruby that didn't seem to like very much what she just did. Probably people didn't like nuns. A lot of people don't like nuns. But she still didn't get why they were calling Mary Margaret a harlot. She didn't look like one, but at the end, people were capable of making up everything.

….

Belle and Mary Margaret were already in the school while staring to organize the papers for the candles sell. For all the time that Belle spends with Mary, she could only see a bright heart behind those eyes and a passionate soul. She could really see that Mary was in love with someone but at the same time that love made her feel guilty of something. She wanted to ask her how that was feeling. To be in love with someone that loves you back? She was with a child but probably she didn't even love the father… or probably did but couldn't remember that feeling, because she couldn't remember who he was.

If there was something that Belle could give anything to know was that. Knowing the man that gave her that hope inside of her. It was only what she could asked for. And then…

"Where can I sign up sisters?" She heard a voice said and was completely surprised to see Leroy in front of them. Both of them looked at him almost mouth open. "What? I want to volunteer to sell candles."

"No you don't… you made that very clear this morning at Granny's." Mary Margaret said to him and then tried to ignore him.

"Well…" Leroy said and then diverted his eyes to Mother Superior and one of the nuns. "Maybe I saw the light! Maybe someone showed to me! What is the difference sister? You look like you could use all the help you can get."

"Come on Mary… maybe he saw really the light in the nuns." Belle said and the laughs.

"Okay! But no swearing and no drinking or the shots." Mary said to him and gave him the papers.

Leroy looked again to the nuns with a weird face. Belle looked at them also, and they looked like they were fighting over something. Mother Superior didn't look like she was in the best mood of them all.

"…you know how he feels about us!" She heard her saying. He? How is he? While Leroy when in the direction of one of the nuns, Belle just looks at Mary Margaret, hilling to ask her about he.

"Who is he?" She asked to her. Mary looked at Belle in the eyes and then sighed.

"Who else could it be?" And in that moment Belle knew… Mr. Gold. It looked like it didn't matter where she went he needed to be always there. And everyone was afraid of him. Every single person. And that made her realize something. Probably he just wanted to people think is bad. Probably he does things for a reason. She means… her father stole from him… that was also a bad thing to do. But what made Belle really think was the way he always looked at her.

The first time he looked like he just saw a ghost, but the other times… he was always with a sad look even if he tried to hide it. Like he knew her from somewhere… but she didn't remember him from any of her memories.

….

"Buy Miner's Day candles here! Handmade buy Storybrooke every one nuns! Light you way to a good cause!" Mary Margaret was screaming in the fair. They haven't sold a single candle yet. Well the must really suck at it. Thank goodness they weren't usual sellers.

"This isn't working!" Belle said and then sat down in one of the boxes.

"You are right… Let's go pack it up!" Leroy said and both Belle and Mary looked at him mouth opened. He looked at both of them and sighed. "If they don't come to us… we go to them! Door to door…"

"They hate us here… imagine in their homes!" Mary Margaret said. She was right. Everyone was ignoring them. What could the 'town harlot', 'town drunk' and she do? Well here is your answer… nothing!

"Exactly… They will pay us just to leave. Besides… none of this stupid people can resist a pregnant woman!" When Leroy said those words a smile showed up in their faces. He was a genius! Who would have thought that?

They quickly packed every single candle again into the boxes. They were going to have a long day ahead of them. All the troughs of Belle were mixed up. Even if they didn't sell any candles yet, she was really happy about it. She was having fun. Finally having fun! And if it was for her they would have sold the candles already.

But that didn't happened. In every single door they went to everyone ignore them. Just shut the door in their faces. They even tried to put candles above her swollen belly trying to tell people that if they bought a candle they would be helping babies and stuff like that. But it didn't seem enough for them. Because at the end they were looking at them for their reputation and didn't care anymore for their hearts. They were blind enough to not help those who need it.

Belle (Enchanted Forest)

The tavern was dark like usual. Everybody was drinking, each on their tables, laughing and playing with the drinks while Belle looked around to see that she was the only one alone. But at the end the choice was hers. She could be right now with her father, but after all that happened? How could she tell him that? Tell her papa what did happen to her… what was her choice. And at the end… she missed everything.

She didn't miss being a princess. She didn't want to be forced to marry someone that she didn't love, she didn't want to be stuck in a castle for the rest of her life… she wanted an adventure. And she had one. That was what she missed. The thought that he didn't even want her, broke her. When she finally though that she did find her happy ending, it turned out to be the wrong idea.

All she could her now was two of the dwarfs next to her talking about what it seemed to her, love. A dwarf in love… that was cute to see now.

"It's not in his head it's in his heart." She said to them and lifts her head to look at both. "You are in love." One of the dwarfs looked amazed by her sentence and started too turned around.

"That's impossible! The dwarfs can't fall in love!" The other one said like it was to obvious thing in the world. But everything was possible. Everyone could love and she knew that.

"Trust me… I know love and you are in it." She was sincere to him. The other dwarf got up and went way while the 'love' one turned completely to her.

"What is it like?" He asked her with curiosity. She never saw a dwarf with that face like his. It was an incredible sensation.

"It's the most wonderful and amazing thing in the world. Love is hope. It fells our dreams. And if you are in it… you need to enjoy it." She said and then though of her love… how she lost it. "Because love doesn't always last forever."

"But if love is so great why do I feel so bad right now?"

"You need to be with the person you love!" Belle said it. If they weren't together they couldn't feel the happiness and enjoy of love. They would feel guilty about some crime.

"Yah but how do I know she feels the same way? All she talks about is going to see some fireflies, not loving me!" She looked curios now. Fireflies?

"Wha-what did she tell you about this fireflies?"

He thought for a minute and then looked at her again. "That she was going to see them on the hill top tonight. That she heard that they were the most beautiful sigh in all the land." And then Belle laughs. Of course it was what she thought about. What else could it be? "What?"

"She wasn't telling you about the fireflies! She was inviting you to go be with her." She was sincere to him.

"You think so?" A smile showed up upon his face while saying that. At least he had someone how really wanted to be with him and most like it, feel the same way.

She nodded. "I had my heart broken enough, to know when somebody is reaching out." The dwarfs were toasting and Belle just looked at him. "Now go! Find your love! Find your hope! Find your dreams." She finalized with a smile. And then… a dwarf was having more hope than she could ever have. Then a dwarf was happy, and all she was left with was a child.

Mr. Gold (Storybrooke)

"You can't tell me that five thousand is not a reasonable price for this beauty!" Leroy said while point to the boat. Gold looked again to him. He was really wasting his time with a dwarf hoping to sell an old boat? The funny thing is that the thing didn't value almost anything. Dwarfs… always think that they are pros with any kind of business.

"Three thousand I think." He said without any kind of shame. The boat was the shame here not his words.

"I need five!" Leroy said almost like a treat. Oh yes, because he should really be afraid of him and his stupid little axe that's down in the mines.

"You need five? Do what do we own the septicity?"

"Trying to help a friend! Look you don't even need to pay me! Just give one more month to the nuns! I, the harlot and the French girl already tried to sell those god damn candles for you and nothing, so have some respect for what we tried already!" Gold didn't care much for what he just said. His earing stopped completely when Leroy said 'French girl'… his Belle. His Belle was helping the nuns. Of course she was! It's what she does best! Helping people! Probably if she remembered who she was before and knew what that Blue Fairy did to Baelfire probably wouldn't even think twice and give up on that thing.

"Well then… you better get those candles sell by tonight… because if you don't get the money, you many say goodbye to the nuns." Those were Gold's last words before making his way out of the harbor. If it was for Belle, he would forgive the nuns. If it was her asking him that he would have forgiven them… just thinking about those blue eyes looking at him and begging him to forgive… he would do that. But it wasn't Belle who was there. And he couldn't forgive them. They needed to pay for what they did to his son.

Belle (Storybrooke)

The night took over the day and the really fair began already. Everyone was having fun and ignoring Mary and Belle but she was starting to think that would be the rest of the night. Not a single candle sell. At least they were having fun… or probably not. Even with Ruby bringing her dinner didn't make her laugh. She used to laugh at food now. Don't ask her why but she did!

They keep trying. Scream to people that they could help the nuns and still nothing. It was no use! They couldn't sell all those candles! Not today, not ever! It was like they didn't exist anymore!

But then, Mary Margaret pushes Belle out of nowhere and made her way to the ruff the quickly as possible. And the image there wasn't the sweetest of them all. Leroy in the bridge of the building, almost jumping of it.

"Leroy! Please don't do it!" Mary Margaret said while walking to him.

"Killing yourself is not the answer!" Belle almost screams with her eyes filled with tears already. This god damn pregnancy was killing her with feelings. She would cry for everything.

"I'm not gonna jump!" Leroy just says like it was the obvious thing in the world.

"You are not?!" Both of them said at the same time like a relief.

"Are you two crazy? I could hit someone! I'm solid built they could get hurt! I'm just gonna send some candles. You may want to get down." He said and the picked his axe and hit him against the electricity place making all the lights in the fair to go down. "Now let's go sell candles!"

And she thought that he was a genius before… now she didn't know what to think. They went down quickly as possible and made their way to the bank. When they got there, there were persons already making lines to buy candles, giving them money, so much that it could fit in the box anymore.

And this was like fifteen minutes of buying and selling and when they noticed, they did run out of candles. All of them… sold like a blink of eyes. Smiles showed up upon their faces. They got the money for the nuns! Every single thing thanks to Leroy and his axe. Now they should be crowned Kings of the Nuns.

Belle left the bank to see the starlight. It was the first time that she could remember seeing so many stars hanging in the sky. It was a unique sensation. And for moments she could stand there for the rest of her life, just looking the sky and crashing her baby. That made a little tear falling down from her face. At the end of this day she could see that she didn't need the help of the father of her baby… she had people who could help each other. And that was all she could ask for.

"I think you need this." She heard a voice said and was completely surprised when she looked at the owner of the same. Mr. Gold was standing offering her a candle. Belle just stood there looking at him like she was seeing something new. She never imagined Mr. Gold doing this… not after she screamed to him like she did. She regretted.

"Why are you giving that to me? You should hate me right now… I screamed to you." She simply said. But Mr. Gold laughs. She was even more surprised by that.

"You were just trying to protect your child from a monster. I would do the same, but I know that you are not like that. I just wished you weren't afraid." He said and looked at the sky like she did it before.

"And I'm sorry about that… I mean… Everytime I look at you I don't see a monster. I see a lonely man." She said and grabbed his hand were the candle was. "We could start again… Like that night never happened. So in that case… Hi! I'm Isabelle French!"

Mr. Gold looked first to her hand and then to her face, and then smiled. "Mr. Gold." That was his Belle. That was his sweetheart.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – Belle (Storybrooke)

The newspaper said everything she needed to know. And in that exact moment she didn't know what to do. Like all her feelings were mixed up in one single space of her mind. She wished she could say it was the hormones fault but it wasn't. The front page of "Storybrooke's Daily Mirror" was clear enough. All of this because of the main title.

Moe French out of the hospital after incident with Mr. Gold

He was out. He was out of the hospital. But that made her fear something. She was afraid of her father now. Not that she was afraid of him hurting her, but she didn't know what to do about it. She wanted to see him, but she didn't even know how to tell him. She couldn't just look at him and say "Hey dad happy grandfathers' day". She never told him about the baby, and she never got really the change to say it. What if he didn't like the baby? What if he didn't want her to have the baby without begin married? What if he wanted to give the baby for adoption? What would she do? She wanted her father support on this… she need it. Without it how could she take care of a baby alone? She wasn't capable of that!

"Hum… excuse me." She heard the man with the paper on his hands saying. And then she came back to reality and remembers that she was working. Night sift that's right. The man's eyes looked down on the table and Belle looked at the same direction. OH CRAP THE COFFEE! She was spilling coffee all over the table. She stopped and then put the coffee down on the table and started to clean all the mess with napkins, while apologizing the man for her mistake.

How could she think that she was a good waitress? She was a mess in person! All of this because a damn news. All of this because, while working, she was with her mind god knows where.

The man got up and get out of the dinner. There you go, minus one client. Great Isabelle, just great! She though. She went back to the balcony and all she could hear now was Granny being pissed off at Ruby again for flirting in the middle of the work. And this is another normal day in the Dinner.

Or that's what she though, until the minute she heard Ruby screaming "I quit!" And then the whole dinner stopped. Granny's face was in completely sock and Isabelle was just like her. Did Ruby just quit her job? Her job with her grandmother?

Belle looked at the door and then went after Ruby. She wasn't just going to let her do this out of nothing. She walked for a little bit and when she finally found Ruby, she was already with a troll next to her.

"Ruby…" She just said and then Ruby looked at her. Right in her eyes and she could see that she was almost crying. She had seen fights between Ruby and Granny all the time but nothing was like this. This was the extreme. And Ruby just turned back on Isabelle and walked away without saying anything. Without saying why.

….

The next day was all normal again. Except for the Dinner that without Ruby was deader than ever. It was not the same without her. And she already missed Ruby like hell. She should have stopped her last night! She should've talked to her about what was happening and that way maybe she would've stayed.

The clean plate in front of her was about to be collected by Granny and she looked at her face. She could already tell that Granny was trying so hard to not pay any kind of attention to what was happening to Ruby but she was worried at the same time. That was all that Isabelle could tell about her.

But in the moment Ruby enter the dinner, her day light up like a flame. A smile shows up upon her face, just like Ruby's when she looks at her. She went to Granny ordering food for the sheriff station. At least she got a job already. That was just like Isabelle, quick as a shot.

As soon as Ruby got the food in her hands, Isabelle got up and went help her with the drinks. "Here let me help you." She said and then Ruby laughs while they got out of the dinner and went in the direction of the Sheriff Station.

"Thank you, Belle. I swear god I never meet a pregnant woman as energetic as you. What do you drink every morning to stay like that?"

"Hum… Ice tea?" She said and then both of the girls laugh. Yup, it was Ice Tea's fault.

The rest of the way to the Station was quiet, and the only things they talked about were how great back pains were and how they could miss a day of work thanks to that. All of this because Isabelle doesn't have back pains that usually with the extra package on.

When they got to their destination, in the same there were only two persons there. One of them was a blond woman, with longer curly hair and that Isabelle though it will be the Sheriff. The other one was a boy. It didn't seem to have more than 12 years old or something like that, but at the end, she was never that good with ages.

"Hey Ruby." The boy said and when he was almost leaving he stopped in the middle of the way to look at Belle. She looked at the boy and smiled. "Hey… I'm Henry!" He said to her with a smile upon her face. Uau he was quick.

"Oh yeah… Hum… This is Isabelle French. Belle, this is our sheriff Emma Swan and Henry Mills." Ruby made the presentations before Belle could respond to the kid.

"Hi." She simply said and the put the drinks in the nearest table. But when she lifts up her gaze she sees the sheriff looking at her.

"French? You're Moe's French daughter?" Emma asked while crossing both her arms above her chest. Belle froze with Emma's question. Since yesterday she was trying to avoid that topic. Her father. But then she just nodded. Nodded, hoping to say a yes that never came out of her mouth. And Emma's face was surprised, like she just found it something. "Well… nice to meet you Isabelle, and congratulations." Emma appointed to her swollen belly. Yep, what a bunch of congrats this were.

"Hum… I should better go. Granny probably needs some help back at the dinner. See you." She said quickly and got out of there in the same rhythm.

She lied to them. Granny didn't need help; she was just feeling so uncomfortable talking about her father, and the baby, all together like it was meant to be. It was not! And that made her fear grown up even more. The fear of rejection. Paternal rejection.

But then she had the other problem… she just came back from an asylum, not Wonderland. What if they didn't let her keep the baby because they still though she was crazy. She wasn't. And they couldn't do that, could they?

While this questions run through her mind, she kept walking and walking and walking and she came back to the world, she already went against someone. She didn't know who. Her eyes were closed like to windows that didn't want to see the world. The only think that made her open them was the sound of a familiar voice saying a simple name "Belle?" Was all that she could hear. Her eyes opened really slowly to look at the only person in the earth that she wanted to talk to. In front of her there was her father.

Belle almost let tears running down her face while looking at the face of her only family. "Papa…" She simply said while embarrassing him. She could be afraid of his reaction now, but it was still her father. Her father that she didn't saw in almost a year. It was too long for her.

"My little dove… my beautiful little dove." He said and hugged her too. But them something was wrong. And Belle knew what it was. He felt it. He felt the belly. And the embrace was over in that moment. He looked down to see her daughter's swollen belly and stayed in completely sock. How was this even possible? "You're… you are pregnant. You got married then."

Belle didn't know what to say, but her face in that moment said it all. And Moe didn't want to believe in her again. All of Belle's fears came out, knowing that his father was going to reject her. She knew it. "You aren't married? You are having a child without marriage?!" Tears started to fall down in Belle's face while he said that. She knew it. She knew it all long, but still she cried. Cried because all she could ask for was her father to accept her and her baby, but that didn't seem too happened. "What were you thinking Isabelle?! A baby?! Alone?! What were you thinking?!" He almost screamed to her.

"Papa please… we can solve this… you can help me taking care of…" She didn't even end the sentence. In the middle her father was already screaming.

"I'm not taking care of a child like that! But you are right… we are going to solve this together. When you have that little bastard, he or she is going to adoption! Now lets' get you home." He said and grabs Belle from her arm, while she fought against it. She wasn't going anywhere with him. Not when he wanted to take her baby away from her.

"No! Papa, let go of me! You're hurting me!" She screamed to him. She fought and fought, but her father didn't seem to let go of her and each time she tried to pull back, he made the pain in her arm increase till it caused her a scream of pain.

All she wanted know was someone to end up with that. She wasn't some kind of toy that her father could use! No! She was a human being and she decided her own fate. Not him… HER!

But then it seemed that God heard her prays, because in front for them was someone. Belle didn't look above his knees but just seeing the cane she knew who it was. And that made even more tears fall from her face.

"What are you doing Mr. French?" She heard him asking.

"Taking my daughter home! Now get of the way Gold… you already have a restraining order." But Gold just laughs.

"Oh really? And let me ask you something, does she wants to? Because I don't know about you, but for the look of your daughter she doesn't seem to want it." Moe stayed without words. "Now, let go of her before you get the second dose." He said while putting the cane at him. And in that moment Moe let go of his daughter. Belle looked at her father and simply stayed away from him and end up standing next to . Moe didn't manifest himself anymore. And Gold took Belle away from that place. Away from him.

Mr. Gold (Storybrooke)

He took her to his shop. There she could calm down a little bit, clean up those tears that fell down her face, and there he could protect her. In the back of the shop, he could see Belle wrapped around some blankets while sitting down in the little 'bed' he had there. He really should've giving Moe French the second dose. What man would hurt his own daughter? Worst… his pregnant daughter. Just a monster like him.

He went in Belle's direction and then sat down next to her. "Do you need something?" He asked but she rejected. Tears were still coming down from her face and all Gold wanted to do now was embarrassing her, telling her that everything was going to be okay, and that he wouldn't let Moe come near her again.

"He wanted to take him away from me…" She said and then looked at Gold. "He wanted to take my baby away from me…" More tears came down and he simply tried to clean them.

"Nobody is going to take your baby Isabelle… not even your father." He said, trying to make her realize that he was there for her. That he wouldn't let anyone touch her baby without her permission.

"I was so afraid… And now I'm alone… I don't want to raise a child alone…" She kept saying. But Gold smiled at her.

"I will help you… I promise. While you have me, you will not raise your baby alone." He just said and then Belle pressed her head against his chest, and closed her eyes. Gold hold her carefully and tried to make her feel comfortable. He wasn't going to leave her alone. He wasn't going to push her away this time. This time would be different. And while Gold was lost in his thoughts, Belle felt asleep in his arms.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – Emma (Storybrooke)

The entire Mary Margaret thing was killing her. She still didn't want to believe that she was capable of killing someone, and she knows that she wasn't and that's why something was wrong. All this was wrong. Why would she even kill Kathryn? Just so she could have David all for herself? That wasn't her, and she could never do something like that to a person.

At the dinner there were whispers about what happened and Emma was just trying not to freak out about it. Ruby came back so that was at least something good and Granny was happy about it. They were smiling like never before and when Ruby got out of the dinner Henry enter and looked around so he could find his mom.

"Hey mom." She heard him saying while holding his book of 'Once Upon a Time'. He sat at the sit in front of her and then put the book in the table. "So I was thinking and I think I know who Isabelle is."

She sighed. "Kido don't you think this is a bad time for Operation Cobra? All I can think now is about Mary Margaret case with Kathryn's dead, not which character is the pregnant girl."

Henry opened his mouth so he could answer to her mother but the bang of the dinner's door was stronger than him. Ruby was there; face worried and then went in the direction of Granny. After a few seconds the only thing the all diner could hear was Ruby saying "What?!"

The dinner stopped at the time they heard her voice. Why was she saying that out loud? Nobody knew. But that didn't mean that Emma wasn't going to find out, because while everybody was looking at Ruby, she went in the direction of the table where mom and son were sitting.

By Ruby's face, she could already tell that see almost saw a ghost, but that was impossible… unless that Henry's book had Gasper there also. And Emma was pretty sure that it didn't.

"Belle's gone." She said while sitting next to Henry, holding both of her hands and putting them in the table.

Emma sighs. "Ruby, a person is not considered missing unless nobody saw her during 48 hours. And I'm pretty sure I saw her yesterday."

"But she is not a normal person! She is a pregnant person! That means she is most likely in trouble. I haven't seen her since she left the sheriff station and Granny said that she didn't came into the B&B last night. Probably is lost! Or was kidnapped! Or worst! We had too many dead's already in the last few months I don't want more."

Emma really didn't understand Ruby. Sometimes, and most part of the time she was a free spirit woman, who looked like she didn't need any help to do the things but right now she looked like she worried too much about certain persons. In this case it was Isabelle French, who apparently nobody has seen her since yesterday afternoon.

"Ruby probably she found Moe and is staying with him for now on. Or probably she just found her baby's father in the street and stayed with him for the night. Look the only thing I know is that I can't care about Isabelle when she isn't officially missing." Emma said and then got up of the sit and looked around once more. "Go talk to Moe. I bet he knows something. But right now I should go back to the station." She looked at Henry next. "And you should go to school."

The little boy laughs and made Ruby got up also, followed by him. "It's Saturday I don't have school. I can go with Ruby!" He said excited while a smile started to show up upon his face.

"As you wish kiddo. See you guys later." Emma said at last and then got out of the dinner. She had a bigger problem in her own hands.

Henry (Storybrooke)

It didn't take long to see the sign of "Game of Throns" flower shop in the end of the avenue. A few more steps and they would be there. But Henry needed to admit the he was excited to go to the shop. Probably because he never talked to Moe or Maurice, and besides, he was a king/lord just like his grandfather. The only difference is that is grandfather is much more young, and wasn't so big has him. But at the end it was always super to meet someone as important as him, even if Avonlea wasn't the biggest town in the Enchanted Forest. Probably one day when Emma breaks the curse and everybody returns to their homes, Henry will meet this town as well as the others in the kingdom.

Besides, Avonlea was known for the Ogres War, for being one city manly affected by those creatures and someday probably Henry was going to kill one of them. Imagine that! With the help of his grandfather it would be awesome.

Ruby and Henry stopped in front of the store and he could see Ruby's face praying for Moe to tell her that Belle was at least okay, and all this worry because of the baby. She could have it at any moment for now on, and if she was alone and lost somewhere without any kind of help, it will be dangerous, not just for her but also for the baby.

As they enter into the store, the figure of Moe's body was the first thing they could see. The old man did not seem like the happy florist that Storybrooke used to see every day. His face was neutral, like it was kind of hard to read but Henry could tell that this man was pretty unhappy about something. What he didn't know.

Moe lifts his head and looks up to them, trying to show up a smile that was a completely fail try. "Ruby, Henry… what can I do for you today mates?"

"Hum… Moe we actually wanted to know if you heard from your daughter." Ruby said and the Moe just sighs.

"Not since yesterday when she left me for that bloody Gold bastard. That naïve girl… doesn't even know what the hell she is putting herself into."

Ruby seemed surprised. "Mr. Gold? That's impossible… the last time I saw them together she was crying and screaming to him."

"It didn't look like it yesterday. I was just trying to bring her home and Gold shows for out of nowhere and takes her away from me, and she agrees to go with him." Moe replied. "If you are looking for her, please the only thing I ask is to get my girl home, safe and sound. I've spent time enough away from her, and right now she needs help."

If Henry didn't know the parental relationship between Isabelle and Moe, he almost wanted to tell that he just wanted to take advantage of them, but thinking like him probably he was just desperate for his daughter. But if Isabelle agreed to go with Mr. Gold after screaming to him, and if she is Belle, probably he was the beast. That would make sense.

He looked at Ruby and a smile showed up in his face. At least they knew where to go next… And that was Mr. Gold's Pawnshop.

Mr. Gold (Storybrooke)

He had felt asleep, something that he certainly did not plan. He was just embracing a crying and scared Belle and when suddenly he closes his eyes, he woke up hours later. And when his eyes opens his eyes and looks down to his chest to see her still sleeping a smile shows up upon his face. All this time thinking that she was dead, believing in Regina when all the words that come out of that mouth were lies… all this time dreaming that someday she would be alive, and he would find Bae, and everything would be okay. When he got to that point probably he could try to give up on magic. Till then that was not an option.

He slowly slides his hand to her belly and stayed like that. He could already imagine her with a beautiful and tiny baby girl in her arms, or at least he hoped that it was a baby girl so it could be as beautiful as her mother. With long chocolate hair and bright blue eyes, probably to grow up to have her nose always stuck in a book.

Suddenly he could feel her move. He looked down to his arms and sees a sleepy Belle waking up. Her beautiful blue eyes look around and when they met his a smile shows upon both faces.

"Good morning Mr. Gold." He heard her saying with her sweet innocent voice.

He smiles even more. "Good morning."

Belle frees herself from his arms and then looks around, but when she looks to him again, she looked like she felt guilty of something. "I'm so sorry… I didn't mean to fall asleep. It's just the problem from yesterday… It exhausted me."

Gold laughs. "Nonsense. This is one of the only things I don't seem to mind." She got up and suddenly something seen to catch her interest. He looks to her with attention, trying to figure out what was she looking for or what would be her next move.

She went to the table where he normally works and just stares at it. He couldn't see much of what she was doing but it seem like she was picking up something from the table, and when she turns around he could really see what she saw in that table that got her interest. In those simple hands there was a cup, her chipped cup.

After all this time, after all this years, the chipped cup seemed to be reunited with his creator. The memory was now in his mind, reminding him of how scared she was of him, how scared she was of doing something that would upset him, and how that scare grew into something bigger, something that even he couldn't find words to explain it.

"Is this yours?" She asks while looking at him. He just nods. She looked at the chipped cup again. "I saw this in one of my dreams. I swear, it was just like this one!" She laughs. "Now I sound crazy. All of this because of a chipped cup."

Gold got up and went in her direction without the help of his cane. He looked at the cup and then put both of his hands above it just like Belle did. "Dreams can be memories from other lives. Each life has a story behind it. And each story needs to have a memorable detail." He looks at her. "Probably this cup was part of your story."

Belle looks right into his eyes and gives him a little smile. It was in moments like this that he wished that she could remember everything before the curse. But that is going too happened. Sooner than he thinks. Then he would be able to find Baelfire, and with the support of Belle things would be easier for him.

She opened her mouth to answer him, but the sound of the pawnshop bell was stronger. Both of their heads turned to the passage that divided the back of the shop from the main shop. "Gold!" He heard a familiar female voice. He grabs his cane and lefts Belle in the back room while checking who didn't know the meaning of the sign 'Closed' right in front of the door.

He looks around the shop and was actually pretty surprised to see the wolf girl and the young prince standing there. He went to the balcony and sigh. "Miss Lucas, Henry… what can I do for you today?" He simply said.

"Cut the crap, Gold… where is she?" He heard Ruby saying, and he could tell that she was not in the best or friendly mood of them all.

He laughs. "I'm sorry to inform you Miss Lucas but I never got the chance to meet someone called she."

"I said to cut the crap. Where is Isabelle?"

"Why so worried? It's not like she's going to leave Storybrooke." Gold says.

"Because of all we know, she is with you, and just a quick reminder that besides you behind the most awful man that put his feet in this town your record with pregnant women is not the best one." She reclaims and for what Gold could see she was not finished yet. When she about to open her mouth to speak again all they could her was a little scream coming from behind the curtains that gave the connection between both parts of the store.

Gold didn't look again to the wolf girl and the prince and hurried to see what could cause Belle to scream like that. A scream of pain. Behind him, Ruby and Henry got into the back shop also, even without his permission.

Belle was just standing there, against the table where the chipped cup rested again and with a hand above her swollen belly. She was looking down and her face could transmit the sensation of fear and pain that she was feeling right in that moment.

"Belle… what's wrong?" He could hear the little prince ask. After that, Belle lifted her head and look at them all, trying to smile, trying to erase the pain. But at the end it was simply a lie. They all could see that.

"Nothing's wrong… he's just kicking really hard. It happens all…" Before she could even end the sentence another scream came out of her mouth. Her body shrank a little and then they could finally realize that those weren't just normal kicking's.

"You are having contractions… We need to get you to the hospital." Ruby says and quickly runs to Belle.

"Hos-Hospital? Wh-why?" She stammered.

Ruby sighs. "Don't be scared… But the baby's coming."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – Belle (Storybrooke)

"No… no no no no no." She says in a hurry right after Ruby's sentence. She couldn't have the baby now. She did not have anything prepared for the hospital; she didn't even want to go to the hospital. All those awful memories were there! She wasn't ready to be a mom… she wasn't ready to have this baby. She didn't even know how to be a mom. She never had someone to teach her, and when the time was right for that, she was to occupied being looked up in an asylum.

What if her baby didn't like her? What if she wasn't going to be in labor today and something was wrong with him? What if after birth they would take him away from her because they think she is crazy? She was afraid. No, not afraid. Terrified would be more like it. All those questions were running through her mind a thousand kilometers per hour. She didn't even know what was going too happened.

When the nest contraction hit her, she gave another little scream and then looks at every single person present in that room.

"Let's get you to the hospital." She heard Mr. Gold while he tried to help her walk, so they could leave the shop.

"I'm coming with you!" Ruby demands. Both of them turn around to look at the rage in Ruby's eyes and them to little Henry who seemed just confused about all of what was happening.

"No! You get Henry home before Regina sends a search patrol around Storybrooke and then go to the inn and fetch all the things that she will need to stay in the hospital." Mr. Gold says and Ruby looks at Belle.

After all the pain that she was going trough she could already barely talk but a simple mute 'please' came out from her lips, trying to tell Ruby that everything was going to be okay. She could tell that she still didn't like the idea but that doesn't mean that she didn't do it.

A few seconds later Ruby and Henry leave the shop, letting Mr. Gold and Belle alone. That was when she looked right into his eyes and she could tell that he was actually worried… and nervous? Why would he be like that? There was no reason to be so.

Gold opened the back door and hurried himself to the Cadillac that was parked no to long from there. While he did that, Belle just abuts in the brick wall if the shop. Her left hand was against the wall and the right hand above her super swollen and super painful belly. It didn't take long till another contraction came and with it another scream. They were closer and closer and her baby didn't really want to stop for a single second. Always kicking really hard, making all the pain in her torso.

Seconds later the Cadillac was right in front of her and Gold got out of the main seat to help her get in the back of the car. She tried to make herself comfortable but, right now, that was a mission impossible. And Gold just drives… there was no denial now… it was time.

Belle (Fairytale Land)

Two weeks after being thrown out, two weeks after having her own heart broken into million pieces, she could already see the gates of the little town of Avonlea. The gates that a few months ago separated that town from the ogres' destruction in the Marchlands. The nerves were hitting her skin, afraid of the rejection by her own father, because, after all, she went against his word. And even if she didn't want to return so earlier it was her duty, her duty of being a princess, thing that she never asked for.

She never actually felt like one. She couldn't give her opinions, it was bad of her to read, she was to be married to someone she didn't even loved, she was to have kids and then those kids one day would became kings and queens. At the end she was just like a puppet. She hated that.

When she was in front of the gates she could hear the guards ask how she was and when she took the hood off. She could tell that they didn't believe in what they saw and for now on things just got worst and more confused.

There were so many things happening in a short period of time. When she enters in Avonlea everybody stops and just looks at their lost princess. Belle tried to be calm but the faces of the town people were making her even more nervous.

The whispers couldn't stop. Everyone was talking about what is she doing her, or what happened to the Dark One. The true is that in that moment the words 'Dark One' made her want to put the hood back on and run away from Avonlea, trying to return to the dark castle, trying to make him really believe in her. But it was a waste of time. He wouldn't listen. She did everything she could think off and still nothing. She was wasting her own time with that.

It didn't take long for her to reach the castle with the help of the guards. In front of the main stairs she could already see her father standing there like he just saw a ghost. Belle's eyes were field with tears in that moment. She run to him and embraces her father into an endless hug. She missed him so much. That was a thing she couldn't deny. Even if she didn't want to be a princess, she missed her father like hell.

When he pulls out of the hug, Belle looks right into his eyes and saw something that never happened before. Her father was actually crying. She never actually saw him crying. When her mother died he was fighting back the tears but in the night he would looked himself in his chambers and cry. She remembered that everything she walked past it, she heard him. She always wanted to go be with her father, not cry alone, but the guards and Miss Potts never let her. But now it was different.

"Belle… my little beautiful dove." He says and puts both his hands in her checks. "You're back. You escape that awful beast. I missed you so much my love. I thought I'd lose you forever like I did you're mother." He says and Belle's face goes blank. Awful beast… sometimes she wanted to think of him like that but after everything that both of them went together… she couldn't even think about it, because at the end he was not that. That was just want he wanted to people think of him. Because behind that mask there was a man. The loveliest man she ever knew.

"I missed you too Papa. But I didn't escape… he let me go." She was sincere with him. She couldn't lie about it. It was the truth. Her father looked chocked with that sentence. Like he didn't want to believe in her. Like she was lying to him or something.

"Let you go? Why would he do that?" He asks.

She sighs. "Because he was a coward." She says. "But we can talk about everything later… there's something I must do first… alone."

Her father nods and she enters into the castle, walking in those familiar halls that she haven't even for ages now or at least felt like it. In that moment she could imagine little lamb Belle running in that halls, always with a book in her hands and her mother and Miss Potts were always following her everywhere. That was in the past. Now she didn't want to run anymore. Because when she runs that means that normally she is happy or that she was escaping from something or someone. But running in the castle means happiness to her, and right now, even with her come back to Avonlea, she was far away from happy. She needed to be. She knew that she couldn't live forever in the shadow of the past and now was the perfect moment to get over it, but still, it was hard. Hard because True Love was meant to be together and in this case, the story was different.

When she looked around again she was in the gardens of the castle, taking little steps in the direction of the middle of them, because in the middle of the gardens of the castle, under the willow tree, there was a grave. Not a simple grave, but the grave of the most important person in Belle's life. Her mother. Before the deal, when she was stuck here forever, she would come every day to the gardens and talked to her mother like she was still here. It helped her trying to forget the pain of being a princess. It was like a journal, and every time, her mother would listen. She listened because before her death she promised Belle that she would always be there for her, no matter what, that even after life, she would always be her mother and protected her from the good and the evil.

Belle sets down in the grass and looks at the grave for a few moments. She had so much to tell. She didn't even know where to begin.

"Hi mom." She starts. "I know that in the last few months I've not been her but… I've been busy. When the ogres hit Avonlea, Papa called the Dark One and asked for help. He said he would help us… if he would have me as his caretaker… and if that meant that the war would be over, I accepted the deal." She pauses. "It was hard at the begging. He was so cruel and heartless. I didn't want to believe it was true. And I didn't… until he spared the life of a man who stole from him and his pregnant lover. In that moment mom… he was like a different person. An ordinary man, not a beast. He started to be more kind. He even gave me a room library. Remember when I was little and I used to say that I wanted to live in the library… it was something like it." She fights the tears back. "In my first day I chipped this cup, and after he gave me a room to sleep, every time that he wanted tea, he wanted to drink from that chipped cup. I didn't if he wanted to cut his lips or something like that, but he just wanted that cup." Tears started to fall from her face. She couldn't fight them anymore. It was too many memories running through her head. "When I felt he was always there to catch me. He even gave me a rose. A red wonderful rose. He was not a beast anymore. He was a man. A man that was hiding behind the beast. He even had a son and a wife… he lost them, and the sadness in his eyes… it hurt. And when I realized he let me go. He freed me." She sighs. "I wasn't going to come back. But then I met this woman on the road… and she told me that any curse can be broken with a kiss born of true love. And if he let me go… that would mean that he loves me, so I went back… and I kissed him." She starts sobbing. "And the curse was starting to be broken, but he tough I was lying to him, that I never loved him, and he refused me. He refused me and told me that no one could ever love him. So he put me in the dungeons again. I tried everything mom. I don't want to tell papa this… I don't want anyone to know this… I even gave him my virtue. Still nothing. He sent me off the castle. He never wanted to see me again. And you know what the worst part his?" She stops for a few moments and then looks at the grave again. It was hard. But she needed to let this all go. Even if it was for a grave. "The worst part is, that even after all this things… I still love him. It's nothing like you told me mom. You used to tell me story's about True Love and how they end up together at the end. That not everyone finds her or his true love but still we need to fight for it. I found mine… and everything went wrong. I don't know what to do mom. I'm so lost. I just don't want to forget him. I'm never going to forget him."

Belle (Storybrooke)

She was lying down in a hospital bed with Mr. Gold by her side, while the contractions kept hitting her. The pain in her torso couldn't be described in mere words. She was trying to relax but nothing. The doctor that came in said that the baby was a little to earlier and they could stop the contractions because she was not in labor yet. At first Belle wanted to do it. A few more weeks would be enough for her to get ready and actually read books about how to be a mom or something like it but in the moment that the doctor said it require drugs she refused. She couldn't take drugs anymore. Not after all this months locked in the asylum. If she took more drugs, she would go literally crazy.

She looks at Mr. Gold and he just smiles at her. He was there since they got to the hospital. He never leaved once. She didn't still understand why we would want to stay, but that actually made her happy. She didn't know why but she trusted him.

"Thank you… for being here." She said to him.

"You are quite welcome."

"Really… at least you are here. Probably the bloody bastard who got me pregnant is drinking in some bar trying to see what is going to be the next girl in his list." Both of them laugh.

"Is that how he is?"

"I don't know… I don't even remember bed with anyone. All I know is when I find that bastard I'm going to punch him in the face." She says and then laughs a little but Mr. Gold for moments didn't seem to like that idea very much. God knows why. Probably it was a bad topic.

Moments later she felt another kick from the baby and then she contains the scream. If she was screaming every single time the baby kicked until the labor, she was most likely lost her voice.

After she puts both of her hands above her swollen belly she looks at Mr. Gold again, who was just sitting there, looking at her. "Do you have children, Mr. Gold?" She asks and then he just looks at his hands. She felt guilty now. Probably it was just another bad topic. All of this because he seemed hurt.

He nods. "I have a boy." He tells and then Belle wanted to smile but the next sentence stole every single happiness in her right now. "I lost him." He looks at her again and Belle simply felt guilty. Yep, it was a bad topic. How could she even ask about it? It must be one of the worst things in the world… lost our own children.

"I'm… I'm sorry." She simply says. Those were the last words before a huge silent filed the room. If she lost her baby she didn't know what to do. And she hasn't seen him yet. Now grow old next to a kid a then lose him… how could someone live with such pain? It was no surprise that Mr. Gold was so cold sometimes.

They spend a few minutes in that silence. But something was wrong. Belle tried to get up a little but then her waters broke. It was early right? This should happen! She wasn't ready. That was she was telling everyone. She wasn't ready.

Gold pressed the button to call the doctor and then made Belle lay down in the hospital bed again. It didn't take long for him to come back into the room followed by some nurses and now the fear took over Belle's body. This was going to hurt… she knew it.

Tears start to fall from her face and the only thing she was capable of doing in that moment was grab Mr. Gold's hand and a little 'don't leave' came out of her lips. She didn't want to be alone in a room full of strangers that only reminder of how awful it was that time in the basement. Even the nurses had the same outfit. If she didn't have anyone that she knew there, she was going crazy. That's why he needed to stay. He wouldn't let her go back to the basement.

The contractions were closer and closer and the pain was increasing with them along with the fear and each time she was even more nervous. The doctor named himself Whale and then he just looks at her and simply says that in a few moments she needed to push. If the baby didn't born now, probably he would never see the sunlight.

When he gave her the signal, she starts to push, not to hard but that didn't make the pain go away. She was sweating from every place she could think off and the tears were falling more quickly from her face. In each push she squeezed Gold's hand and each time the squeeze was stronger. Probably after all this she needed to buy him a new hand. It was more like it.

Doctor Whale turns to her and simply asks for one more push. One more push and her baby would be born. Her baby would be in her arms. So that was what Belle did, but this time, she pushes like she never did before. After that her head falls back to the pillow and the tears stopped. Her tears stopped to give place to another cry. And all she could her in that moment was the beautiful cry of a baby.

"It's a boy." She hears Doctor Whale saying while the nurses took care of her baby. A boy! She could help but smile and laugh even if she was too tired for those things she couldn't help them.

She looks at Mr. Gold and he was actually smiling like she never saw him before. But in his eyes, he was actually fighting the tears back. He wanted to cry. She didn't know why but he wanted.

The nurses gave her baby to her arms and she grabbed him carefully. He was so tiny that she couldn't help but cry. She laughs and grabs his little hand while he opened his eyes and when both of them shared a look he stops the crying. "That is it, baby. Your mama is here… Your mama is here, Aaron."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 – Belle (Storybrooke)

She woke up in the hospital bed to the sound of a clean crying. She couldn't even remember how she felt asleep. It seemed too happened so fast. She remembers the nurse taking Aaron away for some moments and she just closed her eyes for a few seconds and now this. But this was the best sleep she got in a few weeks. Maybe even months. All of the other times she used to have nightmares about the spinning wheel. Now she was just too tired to even have bad dreams.

All of what happened before her sleep was still a fresh memory in her mind. And all she could think off now was in her baby boy. In her beautiful and tiny baby boy with almost any hair and big brown eyes. Why that she could already now that Aaron's father didn't have ocean blue eyes like her. The rest, he was just like his mother.

She opens her eyes and looks forward to see a young nurse with her baby in her arms. She smiles and stretches her arms to the nurse, so she could give her crying Aaron. When he was in his mother arms the cry stopped and Belle couldn't keep herself from laughing.

She was afraid when the nurse finally says that she needed to try breast feeding. She had read that some baby's didn't like his mother milk, what if Aaron was one of them? Or worst? What if Aaron had an allergy to milk? That couldn't happen could it?

The nurse leaves the room and Belle looks at her baby again while rocking him. She was so worried about him now. Was that the feeling of a mother? Probably. She was just hoping that nothing bad happens to him. If it did, she thinks she couldn't forgive herself.

She lets a sleeve fall to show one of her breasts. Slowly she presses Aaron against her and that simple gest makes him search his mother's chest with his tiny hands and when he encounters her breast Belle makes his little mouth meet her nipple. For a few moments it tickled but when she looks down and sees her own son not refusing her milk she just smiles. Smiles because doesn't matter what, she was simply proud of herself for making a baby as beautiful as Aaron.

The fear of not being a good mother was still taking over her. While every girl of her age had her mother next to her to teach them how to take care of a baby, she didn't have her mother there like the others. Baby Aaron would not have a father… or a grandmother… or even a grandfather because her father made it very clear that he didn't want that child to be his grandson. The truth was that all she could give her son was mother love.

When he was finished, Belle pulls the sleeve back to the place and then starts rocking slowly her baby. Aaron's big eyes were open but it wouldn't take long to the baby to be back in his sleep. His little hand was reaching for his mother's face and Belle couldn't help but let him touch the same. In the moment that he touches her nose she realizes something. And that something makes little tears coming from her eyes.

"Mama loves you, Aaron… you know that right?" She says and then holds her son's hand. "If I didn't got out of the asylum I don't know if in this moment I would be able to hold you. Probably after your birth they would take you away from me and I would never see you again. And I'm sorry… I'm sorry if I forgot you while I was there. I'm sorry that I didn't even talk to you back then. I'm sorry that you needed to take the drugs that they gave mama." Tears were streaming down her face more quickly and she sobs. "I'm sorry that I can't give you a papa because I'm stupid enough to don't even remember him. I'm sorry I can't give you a family that would love you like the other babies. But I can give you my love. And I'm going to try to be the best mother I can. Because I want you to have the best. Because I want you to be happy. Because doesn't matter what happens… Mama will always love you." She finishes and then gives a little kiss to her baby while the boy closes his eyes and falls asleep in his mama's arms.

She couldn't help but smile to that picture. That was her little prince. Her little perfect baby. She couldn't ask for more than that.

The only thing that destroyed that moment was the knocking of the door and when she lifts her head and looks at the door another smile comes out from her face.

"May I?" She hears Mr. Gold's voice saying. She nods and then he gives a few steps to her direction with a little smile upon his face. "Those were wonderful words."

She laughs. "That was the truth. I may not be able to give my baby a family but at least I can give him love." She says and then gives a little smile to Gold.

"After this are you going back to live in the B&B?" He asks and Belle just nods. "That's no place for both of you to live. There's almost any space in one room for a baby."

"I know… but I haven't found a good house to live yet. They are all so expensive and I don't even have money to afford any of them."

He nods. "I own most of them. I could make you an offer; you don't have to pay anything or…" He stops and Belle just looks carefully at him. He seemed nervous again. Who would've think that the grand Mr. Gold would get nervous. "Or you could come and live with me. I made you the promise that I would help you with Aaron and I'm not backing up right now or ever. I have plenty of room for both of you. It's a big house, Aaron would have his own room, you would have your own room, and has enough space for a baby to grow up. It even has a back garden."

She didn't know what to think right now. He was actually offering her to live with him. Not just that but also helping her raising Aaron. She couldn't even ask for more. And she couldn't help but smile.

"You don't have to live there, I would help you raise Aaron always and you could get your own…" He was going to keep talking but she cuts him before he could finish.

"I'd love to." She just says with a huge smile in her face. She could already imagine her baby running around a huge house, with enough space for him to play and play and play. It was just perfect.

She gets up and puts Aaron in the little hospital crib and then goes to Gold and gives him a kiss in the cheek. He couldn't help but smile and then looks back at her.

"Well… Then I better get you stuff from the inn and move then to the house." He says and then Belle just sits down in the hospital bed.

"Okay… but… could you do me another favor?"

Mr. Gold (Storybrooke)

He did it! Just a few more steps and then probably she would get her memory back. They could be a family just like he wanted. The family that Belle wanted to give Aaron. And Aaron… it was a strong name, just like Baelfire. Another boy. He wanted a girl, a beautiful girl just like his Belle but instead he got a wonderful boy just like his son.

He had promised Baelfire that he would love no one till he find him but right now there were just not one but two people to love. And when he finds Bae, they would be a family.

Other thing that was always in Gold's mind in the last few weeks was 'what if he didn't send Belle away'. Probably things would be must easier. He would've been there for her during her pregnancy. He would've found a way for her to remember who she was in this land just like he did with him. Belle would remember that he was Aaron's father. He didn't want to believe that he wasn't. But the thing to worry was not that. The worry was that if Belle remembers her life and remembers what he did to her; probably she doesn't want him next to Aaron or her anymore. That was what he was afraid of. But it wasn't his fault… or it was, but when he wanted to tell her why he needed magic the Dark One took over him, it always took over him. It was the Dark One power's fault that he lost Bae; it was the Dark One power's fault that he lost Belle and Aaron, and all of that was also his fault because he was nothing more than a coward. Milah saw that, Bae saw that, Belle saw that…

He couldn't think of that right now. Not now when he finally was able to have a family with Belle; a family with his true love and their baby boy.

When he went to the inn to grab Belle stuff that old wolf woman didn't seem to like that idea even a little and if it wasn't him telling her that he would've raise their rent she wasn't going to let him enter in her room.

He opened the door and when he enters the room he looks around and couldn't help himself but smile. It was a clean room and it smells like roses just like her. In the table next to the bed there was a teddy bear with a blue ribbon around his neck. He grabs the toy and then sits in the bed while looking at it. It took a while till he noticed that in the ribbon there was a little paper. He took the paper off the ribbon and then looks at it and reads the simple message in it.

To my beautiful baby

Mama loves you

He stood there, looking at the paper and reading it over and over again for a few moments. The love that Belle felt for that child was huge, it was mother love. When Milah had Bae she didn't love him so much as Belle loves Aaron. In that time, she was too busy thinking about how miserable her life was and let all the work of Bae to him. Comparing with Belle, Milah had everything. She knew who the father was, she had a good pregnancy, and she had food, a roof to live in. Now Belle spend most part of her pregnancy locked up, with miserable food conditions and then spent 28 years forced to take drugs. If only he had met Belle earlier. Met her when he was human, before he was married to Milah… probably his life would be much better and Bae would've been her son and have a wonderful mother that wouldn't have left him for some pirate.

One thing was for sure. Belle wasn't Milah. Belle was so much better then Milah ever was. He didn't want to compare both of them but the truth must be told.

He puts down the teddy bear and grabs one of the card boxes and starts to fill the same with Belle's stuff. That was when he noticed that she didn't have almost any stuff for herself. Most part of the things in that room was for Aaron. She had a few pair of clothes and shoes and that was it. Then there was Aaron' things. Sheets for his crib, some clothes, toys, pacifiers, baby bottles, etc. All of this stuff didn't even fill one entire box. Something tells him that he would make someone go shopping.

He looks around one last time and then grabs the box and gets out of the room. Now it was time to do Belle's favor.

…...

It didn't take long for Gold to reach Marco's office. Belle was very clear when she said Marco made her one crib for baby Aaron. That made Gold laugh. He was pretty sure that the last crib that old wood master made was for Emma and if his mind didn't failed him, she never slept in the same.

He got out the Cadillac and then took a few steps to the office. Marco was sitting in one of the chairs while trying to fix up an old wooden clock. The old man looks up to Gold and then gets up the quickly as possible.

"Hum… Mr. Gold! It's not a little earlier for the rent?" He asks and Gold just sighs. Why did everyone ask him that? Why couldn't just they ask what he wanted?

"No, no I'm not here for the rent. I'm here for a crib." He just says.

"You're having a child… congrats." Marco says a little nervous.

"Again, you're wrong. A few days ago a girl named Isabelle French came here and asked you for a crib. I'm picking it up."

Marco smiles. "Yes, yes… Ruby told me that she had the baby yesterday. Where should I leave it?"

"My house… you can leave the crib at my house."

Belle (Storybrooke)

After Mr. Gold got out of the room to pick her things up, she ate something and then fell asleep again. She was never this tired in her life. And again for two times in a row she woke up with the cry of her baby. But this time something was wrong. It was a more painful crying and that made her open her eyes and look to the hospital crib the more quickly as possible. And that was when her fear grows up instantly.

Next to the hospital crib was her father and in his arms was a crying Aaron. Belle didn't even think twice in what to say to him.

"Put down my baby!" She almost screams to him. Moe looks to her daughter while she got up from her hospital bed.

"What's his name?" He asks.

Belle reaches for her father, takes Aaron away from him and holds the baby close to her body trying to hide him from her father.

"What do you care? Last time you made very clear that you didn't want anything to do with him. You made very clear that you wanted him gone from my life and your life." She says angry while trying to stop her baby's crying.

"Isabelle… Don't be naïve. Understand that you can't do this! You're not married! You don't have a boyfriend! You don't even know who the father is! You're alone!" He says screaming to her. Tears start to fall from Belle's face with his father reaction. She still had hope that her father would change but at the end, nothing. She believed in a lie.

"I'm not naïve! And I don't care if I'm alone or not! I have people who are willing to do what you should be doing! That's helping me! Giving a home and a place for my son to live with me! People who don't want to take my baby away from his mama!" She actually screams that to him. Aaron was crying even more, probably because his mother was so out of control right now.

"Isabelle French don't you dare talking to me like that! I'm your father!" He says in a master tone. Not screaming, but it was close enough. The tears didn't stop falling from her face and Aaron's cry didn't stop either. "Your mother would be ashamed of you."

Those simple words affect Belle more than anything in the world. That was a lie. Her father was lying! Mama wouldn't be ashamed of her. Mama would love to meet her grandson. Mama would be proud of her. Wouldn't she?

"Is there any problem here?" She heard a voice saying behind her father and looks at the owner of the same. Mr. Gold was staying there and when he sees Belle's tears and Aaron crying his face turns neutral. He looks at Moe again. "I suggest you leave the room before I call the sheriff, Mr. French."

Moe looks one more time to her daughter and then to Gold. That was the last look he gave both before leaving the room. Right after he leave the room Belle falls back to her bed and holds Aaron close to her as she tries to stop crying and calming down her own son.

Gold looks at Belle and then goes sitting down next to her. She didn't want he do see her crying again but it was something she couldn't help anymore. All the pain that her father made her has right now. She knew that he was lying. He needed to be! Her mother wasn't like him… her mother would be very proud to have a grandson as beautiful as Aaron. She would… she needed to be.

Right after Aaron stops his crying, he falls asleep again in her mother's arms. Carefully, Belle gets up and goes putting Aaron in his crib and then looks back at Gold. She takes a few more steps with her hand low and when she was almost in her bed again, she feels herself in an embrace by Gold. His arms were around her, holding her tight like she dreamed any man would when she was in such a low point was now. She could fell his warm body trying to help her feeling better and Belle couldn't help but feel safe. If she needed to trust someone, she would trust him. Because after all, he made her feel safe. He made her feel loved.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 – Belle (Storybrooke)

It had been tree days since Aaron's birth and everything seemed too good pretty well. He cries, he eats, he sleeps, and he cries again, he sleeps again… a normal newborn life for what she could tell. Or at least that what she thinks they normally do. Besides in the last few days little baby Aaron got some new visitors. Yesterday, he got the chance to meet 'Auntie' Ruby and 'Granny' Granny. Ruby was simply amazed by the baby, telling me how much she was right about the sex of him and how we should've brought a little pair of blue shoes. Granny was simply telling her how much this baby was going to be spoiled at the dinner while he grows up.

Other thing that was in Granny's mind was why did Gold came in to the inn and picked her things up. And in that moment, Belle still remembered how hard it was to explain them where she was going now and why. And their reactions were the expected ones. Neither one of them liked or approved the idea of her moving in with him but then, like Isabelle told them, nobody decides her destiny. It was her choice and if she ever wanted to move back to the inn she was welcome.

And today was a calm day, with no visitors yet and (thank god) she could get out of this place today. She could finally take her baby away from this place, away from all of her bad memories. They were going to a new place, to make new memories, to have a better life.

She was already dressing up her own clothes and Aaron one of the little baby bodies that Ruby had brought. Right after she was finished with that, she looks one more time to her baby and smiles. Baby Aaron was wide awake and playing with his own hands. Oh gosh… why was he so cute? Was that supposed to happen or was just because I'm his mama? Yep, probably the second one.

"We are going away from this hospital, aren't we?" She says while laughing and then nods. "Yes… yes we are my swettie."

She starts playing with his little hands a little bit and then grabs him and kisses his forehead. She could do this all day long, and for the looks of it she was about to do it. Granny said she could take a few weeks off, she would still receive the payment at the end of the month and she could stay all day taking care of Aaron. There was just a thing wrong with her baby… his surname.

He didn't deserve be called Aaron French. He should have a surname of someone that loved him, not the memories of a grandfather like her dad. She was ashamed of that name now and if she ever finds a husband, she certainly wants to be known by his surname.

A husband… a true papa for Aaron… that was really a dream that she hoped that would come true someday. They would be a family, everybody would love each other and maybe she would even have more kids. Maybe a girl next time. Without thinking, she was almost talking about what is about to happen with Gold. A home, a help, and maybe even he could be Aaron's new papa, if he wanted. That wouldn't meant that they would be together but at least he seemed to have faith in her and he would certainly protect Aaron, or at least that was the idea that he gives.

She sits again in her bed and then just looks at her son. She really couldn't wait to start a life around him. She imagined everything. Playing with toys with him, taking him to football, teaching him how to write his name, helping him with his homework, see his graduation, growing old and being proud of Aaron at the same time. Yes, those dreams would come true someday. Or at least, she hoped they would.

It was a little knocking on the door that made Isabelle return to the reality. She lifts her head and then looks at the same to see Mr. Gold standing there while a smile upon his face.

"Are you ready?" He asks and Belle just nods. She gets up and then holds Aaron thigh to her body.

They didn't take long to be in the entrance of the hospital and in the moment that all of them saw the trees surrounding the place, Belle smiled. The last time that this happened she was being freed from the asylum. That time, made her life change and now she was here, waiting to start a new life, in a new house, with Gold and Aaron.

They all enter in the black Cadillac and Gold just droves off from that place. The all way home she couldn't help but smile. Home? She hasn't seen the house yet and was calling it home already. But at the end, she couldn't lie could she? It was her new home, her new life, her new happiness.

They stopped in front of a pink house. So, the most powerful man in town lived in a pink house… that was new. The though made Isabelle laugh and carefully she enters in the same.

Gold wasn't lying when he told her that the house was big. All the artifacts and things in it made her seemed quite little but that was something they could manage.

He didn't even make a tour for the house; all he did was taking her to the first floor and guide her to the front of a door.

"Close your eyes." He asks and Belle looks at him, intrigued. She slowly closes her eyes and Gold grabs her free hand. His touch made her all body feel warm. Everytime he touched her, this would happen, and Belle didn't know why but it felt good. Like she was touching a god or something like it.

She takes a few steps forward and then she stops in the moment she smells the room. The smell was different from the rest of the house, it made her feel young and like a child again. She smiles and slowly opens her eyes to look at the most wonderful thing that she ever saw. A nursery. Her baby's nursery.

The room was covered by blue walls except the ceiling and the floor that were painted in a white color. The crib was set in the end of the room against the wall. Just like the floor, the crib was in a white wood, with the blue sheets that she had bought and with a white veil on the top, covering the all crib except the front. On the other side of the room it was the fitment to change the diapers and next to the bed it was his closet, both of them also in a white color. On the floor it was a baby blue carpet and in it there were some cuddly toys, including the teddy bear that she had bought to him.

She couldn't stop smiling while looking around the room and when she looks down to little Aaron he was already sleeping. Isabelle takes a few steps tough the crib and places her little baby in it. She covers him with some sheets and then looks back at Mr. Gold, standing in the doorway with the help of his cane.

She goes to him and both of them get out of the nursery while letting the door a little bit open. Gold took Belle downstairs and the sat in the sofa while drinking a pot of tea.

"You made all of that for him?" She asks while smiling.

He nods. "If Aaron is going to stay here he needs a decent room. Besides, I want to spoil that boy with the best." He laughs. "You know, when I had my boy I couldn't give him any of this. I barely had money to give him food. If I'm going to treat Aaron like my son, I'm going to try to give him what I couldn't give my Baelfire."

"Baelfire? What that is name?" She asks and Gold just nods. "I think Baelfire was very proud of having you as his father."

He laughs but it wasn't a funny laugh. There was something so sad about it. "I don't think so. Many things happened between us. But that isn't something I want to talk about."

She sighs. "I wish you were Aaron's father." She admits and he looks at her surprised. "His real father maybe doesn't even want to do anything with him. Probably he even pushed me away when he knew I was pregnant. If I ever found him, probably I don't even want him next to my son." Gold swallows. "Now you… you are different. You were there to protect him, you offered him a house, and you even made him a nursery. You actually seemed to care of him. Everytime I look at you while you're looking at Aaron you seem happy that he is alive. You actually act like you are his father." She looks right into his eyes. "And I don't know why, but I feel like I've known you for ages! I feel so comfortable around you. And Aaron seems happy around you. And I'm happy around you."

Gold smiles even more. "I can be his papa if you want. I would not just take care of Aaron… I would take care of you to. Right now you two are the closest thing I have to happiness. And I want to stay that way. I want to stay next to Aaron… I want to stay next to you."

In that moment, Belle couldn't stop looking into his eyes. His wonderful brown eyes. She could feel his left hand above her right hand and there was his touch again. Making her feel that way. Making her feel like she was the only person in the universe. It was such a careful touch. She couldn't even describe it anymore.

She looks at both of the hands and then back to his eyes. The silence was killing her but at the same time it was like the best thing in the world. Her emotions were all mixed up and she couldn't even think about what to feel in that exact moment.

When she notices, both of their bodies were separate by a few inches. She felt like he was an imam. Like she was getting closer and closer and she couldn't stop. And it didn't take long till both of their lips were pressed together. In that exact moment her body seemed to become a flame and the feel of his lips burned more than anything in the world.

For her own surprise he kisses her back and for that moment on, things only got better. She completely turns to him and moves both of her hands up, so they could rest in the back of his head, while playing with his soft hair. His hands were pressed on her hips, pulling her closer and closer to him, making the bodies have anything separating them from one another.

The kisses become more and more hungry making them almost lost their breaths. Slowly Gold makes Belle lay on the couch and then his kisses move to her neck, covering every single inch of it with them. Isabelle tried to breathe while he did that but it didn't take long for his mouth to be back on hers.

A last kiss was giving by her and they just stay there looking at each other. For moments, Belle seemed lost in his brown eyes while she still played with his hair. She could stay like that for the rest of the day, maybe even the year. She didn't even remembered what was to be kissed, but then there was Gold kisses, and everything was perfect. Every single one of them made her feel unique and loved. Probably that was what she was, and Gold just found it. The thing is that she wanted to get lost in his mouth again, and again… and again.

"Did someone ever tell you how perfect you are?" He asks her and she just laughs.

"Now someone did." She answers and feels his lips again pressed against hers.

"Because you are. You're smart, you're nice, you're a mama who loves her child…you maybe a little clumsy." She laughs. "But you are also the most beautiful woman in the world." She blushes.

"Really?" She asks.

One more kiss. "Really."

She laughs again. "It's getting pretty late. We should go sleep."

Gold kisses her neck. "Do you want to sleep?" She says no with her head. "Then why rush it?"

A few kisses followed that question and Belle couldn't help but enjoy it. It was hard not to. She bits his lower lip and then sucks it again and again. It was then when he starts to play with her tongue. She could really stay like that the all day and far more.

The moment just perfect. Nothing could destroy it. But as always something happened. They heard a strong noise and right after it, they stop to look around. Aaron wasn't crying so at least it didn't wake up the baby.

Gold gets up and then looks around again. Nothing seemed to happen there but the silence in the house was just uncomfortable. Isabelle got up also and starts to walk around the main floor without making any sound so Aaron couldn't hear it.

While Belle did the main floor, Gold went upstairs to investigate the floor just like she was doing. She went through every single room in it but she couldn't see anything. Nothing was damaged or on the floor. It seemed pretty normal to her.

Probably was just a cat in the garden, she tough. She should go back to Gold. Go back to the thing that was killing her body. His kisses. His wonderful kisses that made her feel a virgin again. Like it was the first time in the kissing world.

"Belle!" She heard Gold scream urgently. Why was he screaming? He would wake up Aaron! Then it was going to be him to take care of the cry!

She went upstairs while thinking of what was in his mind. Screaming? Really? She still didn't believe he had the courage to do that in the middle of a baby sleep!

She saw Aaron's room door full open and goes into the room to see if at least her baby didn't woke up thanks to Gold. She enters in the room and for her surprised Gold was standing there in front of the crib and shaking. Oh my god… did Aaron make the sound? Probably letting anything fall from the crib? But that didn't seem right. He was too little to do that.

Belle takes a few steps to the crib and when she looks at it a scream came out of her own mouth. She couldn't believe in what she saw. It was impossible. It needed to be impossible. Tears started to fall from her face and Isabelle's world fell in her shoulders.

In the crib there was nothing. There was no one. The baby wasn't there. Aaron was gone.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 – Mr. Gold (Storybrooke)

"Where is my baby?!" She screams. In the last hour it was all that she screamed. Gold had already called Emma and she was doing everything that she could to try to figure out what the hell happened to baby Aaron. While they were trying to figure that out, Belle couldn't stop walking in circles while crying and screaming those words.

"Isabelle calm down! Everything is going to be okay." Emma says and then Belle looks at her with an angry face.

"Don't tell me everything is going to be okay! My baby is gone! What if he's dead?! I'm not going to be okay until I have my baby with me! I want my Aaron!" She screams to her. Emma just sighs. You don't mess up with an angry mama or you are going too regretted forever.

Emma turns to him. "Do you have any idea who cloud do something like this?" She asks. A bunch of persons were running through Gold's mind, persons that seek revenge on him, or in this case Rumplestiltskin, but we are in Storybrooke, not the Enchanted Forest. There was Moe, that if he did this he would lose every bone of his body this time. Then there was Regina, who had her in every single person in this town. If it was Regina she could easily do this. But if it was her fault that his son was gone, he would kill her without thinking twice. If he did that everybody would be happy at the end and he would only make a favor to the Charming's and Inc.

"No one that I could think off." He just says. Miss Swan didn't need to know what he was thinking about, she didn't even need to know what he was going to do to whatever made this happen. It was better for everyone.

Even after that he knew that he was lying but after the last time he lied to her, she knew what was going on or what was going to happen. She knew that in the end, someone would end up in the hospital after a cane attack.

"Gold if you know something you better spill it out, because this time, the thing they stole was not a cup, was a newborn. And this time, if you do any move, you're going to end up in court." Emma whispers to him, so Belle couldn't hear.

He sighs. "The only person that comes to my mind is the same that the other time… Moe French. In the last few days he made very clear that he doesn't want his daughter to raise this baby, telling her that he wants this baby in adoption." He says in a normal tone and then Belle looks at them both.

Belle takes a few steps in their direction and then laughs ironically. She turns around with both of her hands in the air.

"That's it! It was him! It was him who took my baby! I should've known! He never approved Aaron! Steal his own grandson?! That stupid bastard!" She screams at both of us. Her blue eyes were red as he never saw and burning with rage. At the end, behind the calm mask that she normally wears there was an emotional monster ready to come off and destroy whatever arms baby Aaron. It was the life that Regina made her have or this was just the mother side of bookish Belle that everybody known.

"Calm yourself down Isabelle! We are going to solve this and find Aaron. Tomorrow I will go talk to your dad and try to figure out what he knows. In the meantime get some sleep. We will find him. I promise." Emma says and Belle just looks at her. Still shaking she nods and then turns around to pick up Aaron's teddy bear from the ground. She looks at the bear for a few seconds and then holds it next to her chest while she leaves the room.

It hurts to see her like that. Twenty eight years looked up in an asylum without anyone to talk to or see and when she finally gets out and has her baby, someone is stupid enough to take him away from her. That someone knew that he or she would get in trouble… big troubles.

Belle (Storybrooke)

After she got out of Aaron's nursery she went looking for her room. It wasn't hard to find. Next to the nursery there was a room with a card-box in it with her name in it. Slowly she enters in the room and goes to the bed direction. She lays down in the same and then looks at the teddy bear while she let tears fall from her own face.

She wanted her baby back, she wanted her Aaron back. She couldn't take this pain anymore. Not knowing where he was or how he was. Not knowing who took him away from her. He wasn't a child; he wasn't even a real baby. He was just a newborn. He was the only person she loved, he was her baby! Her own child… her first baby.

She keeps looking at the teddy bear and presses her right hand in the little blue ribbon. This was the first thing she was actually able to buy for baby Aaron. When she didn't know if it was a boy or a girl. But she always wanted a boy. She wouldn't mind if it was a beautiful baby girl but her heart belonged now to her wonderful boy. Her wonderful boy that she gave everything in this world to be holding right now. It wasn't asking for much, she just wanted Aaron in her arms. That was it.

She tried to sleep, but her fear wouldn't let her. The pain wouldn't let her have a good night of sleep. Was this what it felt to be a mom? Worry about your child every single moment?

She hears a knocking on the door and turns to the same to see who's there. In the entrance of the room there's Gold looking at her with the same look that he had back in the nursery. He takes a few steps towards the bed and sits down next to where she was. He keeps looking at her and then grabs one of her hands.

She slowly looks at him and then sobs. She didn't want to cry. She wanted to be strong for Aaron. But she couldn't help it, could she? She didn't think so.

"Try to sleep." He says and then she just says no with her head.

"I can't." She whispers.

He puts one of his hands above her hair and draws a line in the same.

"Yes you can." He finally says and then gives a little kiss in her forehead. He gets up again but she quickly grabs his free hand and pushes him back.

She didn't want to be alone. Not until she finds her baby. She didn't want to take all this pain by herself. She needed someone by her side and Gold was the closest person she could think off.

She wanted to say 'stay' but the words didn't come out of her mouth. She tried, but her lips were the only thing that moved, even if they didn't make any sound.

She looks at him again; he was already taking off his suit jacket and lying down in her bed next to her. When she realizes they were cuddling while he whispers kind words to her ears like 'everything is going to be okay sweetheart' or 'we will find him'. The sound of those words was like a lullaby because it didn't take long for her to fall asleep.

Emma (Storybrooke)

She wanted this to get over. She wanted to find this baby and make an end to this case. Why couldn't they steal the baby after she had the all Mary Margaret thing over? It would be good, or at least that was what she tough. Why would someone want a newborn baby also? For what she knew, Isabelle French had never been in any kind of problem with anyone, or that was just what the police records said. Or if this was really Moe's fault, why did he want that baby gone from his daughter's life? If Henry had a baby someday she would want to be his or hers grandmother, not take the baby way from him.

She got out of the sheriff station and walked all the way to the 'Game of Throns' flower shop. All the flowers in the entrance of the shop made her want to sneeze with all the mix up of smells of each of one them.

Slowly she enters in the shop and looks around looking for the local florist. It wasn't hard to find. Moe French was behind the balcony, making a brand new bunch of yellow roses. He looks up to see the sheriff standing there and then stops for completely.

"Sheriff Swan… What can I do for you today?" He asks a little nervous. Emma sighs.

"I need to ask you some questions… about your grandson." She says and he looks away.

"I have no grandson."

"Yes, yes you do. Aaron French… rings any bell?" She says and then he looks up again.

"Aaron? Is that he's name?" He asks shaking. He didn't know his name? Probably Isabelle didn't even want him to know the name of the baby. For what Whale told her, when he went to the hospital to see him, Isabelle end up screaming to Moe, telling him to leave and stay away from her baby.

"Yah… and right now you are the main suspect because of him."

"Suspect? Suspect of what?"

She sighs again. "Yesterday someone broke in Gold's house. When Gold and Isabelle went to Aaron's nursery, the baby was gone." She was sincere to him. Moe was completely in choke, and just for his reaction something told Emma that or he was a great actor or he didn't have anything to do with Aaron's missing.

"What makes you think I did it?" Moe asks.

Emma puts her arms in her chest. "I don't know. You were the one that didn't want Aaron in Isabelle's life. You never approved him. All she told me was that you wanted Aaron away from her. You're the one that wanted to give the baby for adoption against your daughter's willing."

"Isabelle is being naïve for keeping the baby. And yes, I wanted to give that baby for adoption… I still do. But I didn't steal my grandson!" He almost screams. Emma really didn't know what to think for the moment. She wanted to believe in Moe but at the same time, she was capable of blaming and threatening him to give the baby back. Like a part of her believed that he had steal the baby and other didn't believe in that.

Everything seemed too obvious. What if someone just tough that Moe would be the obvious choice? For all she knew right now was that she was again in the first step for this case. She had no proof that Moe did this or she had no clue where the baby could be.

Emma looks again to Moe's eyes and then takes a piece of paper from her pocket. "If you know something, call me." She says and gives him the paper with her number on it. Moe looks at the paper for a few seconds and then, with a scared face, again to Emma. "If you know something about here the hell this baby could be and you don't tell me… I'll have to arrest you and open a case in court. I think you don't want that."

Moe looks one more time to Emma before she leaves the flower shop again. She knew what she needed to do now. Because now she was back at beginning of the case. Now Aaron was harder to be found than ever.

Mr. Gold (Storybrooke)

He didn't think twice about where he needs to go after Emma called him telling him that Moe French was surprised for hearing that his grandson was gone and had nothing to do with Aaron's disappearance. Now if it wasn't Moe, there was just another person in the list and that person would be his problem not the sheriff's.

After dressing a new suit and getting out of the house, letting Belle in her own room sleeping like a rock. After the events from yesterday, sleep was the best option for her. This way she would be resting and not worry where Aaron was or if he was still alive.

If for some reason they found Aaron dead or hurt, that evil soul would pay with her life. It needed to be her fault that he was gone, and in that case, it was her fault if anything happens to him. All of this, because her life is full of revenge. Probably she was still hopeless after killing her own father for this curse. But at the end… it wasn't his fault was it? He didn't think so. It was her choice, not his.

The town hall was in his view already and after that it didn't took long to be in the mayor's office. Regina was sitting as always in the main chair, taking care of the 'town businesses'. Like there was anything to be done. Everything that happens in Storybrooke has only one main target and that was her.

She slowly lifts her head up and looks at him. An ironical smile shows up upon her face and then she just laughs. Not a happy laugh, but as always, her evil laugh like she already knew why he was here.

"Rumple… what a pleasant surprise. What is it this time?" She asks and then, when finished, she looks back to the papers in front of her and in her own hands. Gold takes a few steps towards the table and then, violently, puts his free hand in the same, making a sound that everyone present in the hall could hear.

"You know exactly why I'm here!" He says and Regina looks up again. "Now I'm just going to say this once and you are going to answer me! Where is he?!" He almost screams.

"He? I'm sorry but I don't know who you are referring to."

He laughs. "Oh don't make yourself stupid. Aaron. Now… where is my son?!"

"Your son?" She laughs. "I don't remember seeing your name in his birth certificate."

He was about to lose his mind. She was making herself hard but that little mask would not take long to disappear. Even if he needed to rip it off of her, but she would stop that and tell him where the bloody hell she was keeping his baby and why did she took him.

"I'm going to find him, and then you will suffer. No… I have a better idea. I'll find my son and then I'll not get my revenge on you. Oh yeah. I'll make you suffer the same thing I did. At the end, the one who will suffer is Henry." He says and then laughs ironically. "A son for a son…your majesty."

Those were his last words to her before leaving. He would find him. He would find his son. He would not lose Aaron like he did Bae. This time he would not make the same mistake.

Emma (Storybrooke)

Everything seemed to be off. There was no clue where the hell the baby could be and that was killing her for sure. All she could ask for was to find the baby and be over with this case. Just that. Nothing more.

She sits down in one of the chairs of the station while Mary Margaret is asleep and starts to eat the sandwich that she had bought in Granny's. And that old woman never failed on doing a good sandwich. Probably tomorrow she would eat a hamburger.

While that happen, the phone of the station starts to ring and Emma just looks at the phone and runs to pick it up.

"Storybrooke's Sheriff Station, what can I do for you?" She says to the phone and waits for someone to reply.

"Hum… Sheriff Swan? It's Moe French." She hears the old man saying and then sits down in the closest chair.

"Moe… what's the problem?"

"Do you remember this morning to call you if I knew something?" She makes a 'hum hum' to the phone and then waits for him to continue. "I went home now for lunch time and I heard baby crying coming from my neighbor's house."

"Probably your neighbor has a baby also."

"He doesn't Miss Swan. Believe me."

She stops for a minute. "Moe… who is your neighbor?"

"Sidney Glass."


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, sorry if this took so long but I’m on vacations again (this time, without my beautiful computer) and besides that I almost broke my hip sooo… there’s that.  
> Second, it looks like I can really make you guys surprised. Or at least that is my idea from what you all said from the last chapter ending. Even with all of this stuff going on here, I just wanted you all to know that I just started a new story called ‘Born, Live, Love’ so if I don’t post here it’s because I’m working on the next chapter of BLL and if I don’t post there, I’m working on a new chapter of NF so I just wanted y’all to know that. But wtv lets skip this weird A/N and go find baby Aaron shall we?

Chapter 12 – Belle (Storybrooke)

Today her dreams were blank. She couldn't dream without knowing were her baby was. She would dream again when her Aaron was again in her arms and she could give him kisses and spoil him like hell. She already missed his cry. She missed looking into his big brown eyes. She missed feeding him. She missed everything about him. She was a miserable mother without Aaron. She felt like nothing without him.

Besides, she wanted to wake up warm like she felt asleep yesterday but when she woke up, she was freezing. Freezing like she was dressed with summer clothes in the coldest winter morning. That was how she felt right now.

She was pretty sure that she was alone again. She didn't want to be alone. If she was alone she was going back to the asylum. She didn't want that. She was afraid of that. That way she wouldn't be able of seeing Aaron anymore, or Ruby, or Granny… or Mr. Gold. She didn't want that. She was afraid now.

She opens her eyes and when she looks around she was all alone like she feared. Tears were falling from her face as she gets up and runs around the entire house looking for someone and finds no one.

She was starting to panic. She didn't have a phone to call someone and even if she had, she didn't know any phone number. And right now, she was alone, all by herself again. She screams and there was no call.

But then there was the sound of the main door opening. She slowly walks to the main hall and when suddenly sees Gold in front of the door she feels so relieved that there were no words to explain that feeling.

She runs to him and hugs Gold so tight that she was almost breathless. She feels his hand in her back and just rests in his chest for a few moments. The tears were staring to fade and she could feel calmer than she was when she woke up.

"We found him." He says and then Belle looks up to him with a petrified face. "Aaron…we found Aaron."

She couldn't believe in what he just said. They found her baby… they had found her baby Aaron! She was going to hold him again. She was going to feed him again. She was going to love him again. She couldn't stop laughing and smiling now as well as crying.

Now she was hugging Gold with all of her strength. She hears him laughing and then when she pulls out of the hug, just keeps looking at him. She wasn't just happy because they found her baby. She was also happy because she saw Gold smiling like she never saw. His smile made her heart melt in several pieces.

She puts both of her hands on his chest and then just laughs. "What are we waiting for? Let's go get our son."

Emma (Storybrooke)

"Glass… Open the damn door!" She screams to the door. She could hear Aaron crying over and over again and she was losing her mind, it didn't take long. She walked around the house again, trying to find an open window or door, but she didn't find anything again. She returned to the main door, while screaming over and over again Sidney's name.

The baby's cry didn't stop either. Each time, Emma screamed, the cry increased. Probably she just wasn't used to it. When she had the chance to hear this kind of crying, she let it go. But right now this wasn't about Henry. Right now this was about getting Aaron back to his mother, and see what the hell was in Glass's mind when he kidnap a baby that wasn't even a week old.

She took a few steps back and then pointed the gun to the door handle and a few seconds later, shouted. The handle fell on the floor and Emma kidded the door, making the same open.

Slowly she enters in the house and before anything else; she goes to the sound of the crying. It didn't take long for her to find Aaron, lying on a bed, full of sheets above him.

She runs to the baby, puts her gun on the bed and grabs him with both of her hands while trying to stop his crying. This was what she missed all her life. Rocking a baby, changing dippers and things like that. If it wasn't for those god damn watches she would have this. And besides, this wasn't her baby. This wasn't Henry. This was Isabelle's baby, Aaron. Probably his brother will be called Moses.

She keeps rocking the baby while putting her gun back on the pocket and looks around the house, still looking for Sidney Glass who for someone weird reason was nowhere to be found.

She looks again to the baby and then sighs. Probably it was a good thing not taking care of baby Henry because right now she was about to lose her mind with this crying.

"Shh… Just keep quiet will you, Aaron?" She says and then the baby opens his eyes to look up to Emma. When she notices, his little hands are in her chest and his little mouth opens a little bit. "Oh no. No, no, no. Go ask that to your mother. My breast milk is out of date, believe me."

The truth seemed to hurt the baby, because it didn't take long for him to start crying… again. For Crist sake, when was the last time that someone feed Aaron? He was starving of course. And for what it seemed he was completely alone in that house, still no sign of Sidney anywhere. Besides that, why would he kidnap a baby? Did he have something against Isabelle or something like it? Because that girl was gone for, god knows how many months, and nobody in this town seemed to know her before that. Then why would Sidney do something like this to her, to her baby.

Emma looks at the crying baby in her arms one more time and then just gets out of that place. One thing she knew was that the main door needed a new handle. So there was that. And now, that Aaron was back the only question was where Sidney Glass was.

-/-

Aaron didn't stop crying. In the little yellow bug while she went to the town hall, Emma tried everything that she could do to stop the baby's cry, but it didn't make any difference. He didn't want her! He wanted his mommy not the local sheriff.

In the sheriff station everything was quiet. All the messages in the phone machine were from Mrs. Ginger telling her that Pongo was doing his 'necessities' in her front garden. Actually it wasn't 'her garden'; it was on the street in front of her house. Nothing important.

Well, she could still say that everything was quiet but then when she looks behind her again there it was, Mary Margaret, dressed in her typical skirt, long sleeve shirt and with a jacket over it, with a pie in her hands and a smile upon her face. After all she had been through this last few days with the all 'Oh wait, Kathryn is alive' thing it was great to see her smiling. But again, the only thing that destroyed by the insane crying from Aaron.

"Oh dear god, a baby!" Mary Margaret says and then comes a little closer. "What's your name, little one?"

Emma looks at her. "This is my new headache, Aaron French."

"Aaron French? Like Isabelle?" She asks and Emma nods. "Are you sure? He kind a looks like Gold."

Emma just froze in that second looking at the baby one more time. Just thinking that he could be Mr. Gold's son… oh poor thing. How could someone so cute be the son of someone soo… beastly? Does that make any sense? But it wasn't possible, was it? Of course it wasn't. But one thing was true; he was living in his house. So there was that. But probably it was just that.

"Don't… don't ever say that again. Poor kid." She just says and then looks at Aaron again. Gosh, how could someone soo little cry soo much? She didn't even know.

At least she could already hear steps approaching the sheriff station and in each one, she was hoping that it would be Isabelle. She could take this cry anymore. Aaron was probably starving and probably would need a change of diaper or something like that, that babies need. And then they ask her why she gave up Henry for adoption. God, even ten years later she still didn't know how to take care a baby.

Her and Mary Margaret eyes were fixed in the entrance hall, still waiting for the personage to show up. And it did… and thank god that it was Isabelle and Gold.

Even if the older man's face didn't change, Isabelle's was filled with tears of joy when she saw her own baby in Emma's arms. She didn't even think twice about what to do next. She knew that in that moment all Isabelle wanted was to have her son in her arms. She knew that now she wasn't going to let him go. Not until the time was right, and that time was long to be seen. Aaron French was now where he belongs… with his family.

All she could hear Isabelle saying was things like 'Momma's here baby' or 'I'm not letting you go never again', and those words seemed to be like a lullaby for the baby. In the moment he heard his mommy's voice, the crying stopped, because now, he was with the person he wanted to be. And that amazed Emma. The way Aaron knew who he wanted to be with and who was his mother. Babies were probably smarter that everybody thinks.

While Isabelle and Mary Margaret were too busy spoiling the little baby, Emma stepped back and surprisingly, Gold followed her to her spot.

"Who did it?" He simply asks while Emma looks right in his eyes.

She sighs. "Sidney Glass. Moe French called the sheriff station and said he heard cries coming from Glass's house. When I went there I found Aaron all by himself."

"Sidney Glass, you say."

Emma didn't like the way he said that. There was always something wrong with Gold and in this case was just like the time he was robbed by Moe. At the end someone was getting hurt.

"Don't you dare step in this case, Gold." She just says while he laughs.

"Don't worry Miss Swan. I shall do nothing to Sidney Glass." And those were his last words before living the sheriff station with Isabelle and Aaron. Something still didn't fit right there and, also, for some reason, she had the feeling that Gold knew more about what was happening then her.

Belle (Enchanted Forest)

She sat by the window and just looked outside. Avonlea was now a new kingdom, still small, but brand new. When the ogres were here, the skies weren't blue, they were red; the people were not happy, they were terrified; the children didn't dream, they feared. But those were dark times that were gone. Now there was no war, no fear and happiness could finally return.

Well, for her that wasn't exactly true. After almost two months her heart was still shattered in million pieces. The feeling of rejection still hunting her dreams. But at the end she couldn't stay like that forever. She needed to be strong and still have hope in love and happiness. And she had… excepted today.

She lost the count of the days that she woke up dizzy and felt sick. For her it was weird. She rarely was sick. Her breasts seemed swollen and she could swear that they were getting bigger; she just wanted to eat and felt tired all the time. But that wasn't the worst part. The worst is that she didn't bleed in weeks now. She was simply late, that never happens.

Probably she was dying, she didn't know. All she knew was that something was wrong with her body and she wanted to know what.

Her toughs stopped when someone just quietly entered the chambers. Belle's look moved to see who could be and the person smiled at her when she looked.

"Oh dear, why are you up so early?" Mrs. Potts voice said. Belle wanted to smile at the old lady but nothing came out of her mouth. She wasn't in the mood. "You're dizzy again?" She nods while trying to fight the tears that wanted to fall from her face. It was hard being a person and not knowing what the hell was happening to your body.

Mrs. Potts toke a few more steps in her direction and step besides her while passing her hand trough Belle's hair. "May I ask you something, child?" She asks and Belle looks at her and gives her a little nod. Mrs. Potts took a deep breath and then looks at Belle again. "You're not a maid anymore, are you?"

In that moment she couldn't fight the tears any longer. For some reason the truth hurt… a lot. She couldn't say it. What if she tells Mrs. Potts and she tells her father. She couldn't risk that. But now it was too late. The tears were falling already and the question was answered.

"I don't know what's wrong with me…" Belle just says while trying to stop her crying. "I'm so scared." There it was… the brave lion heart was scared. How bad could it get?

"When was your last bled?" Mrs. Potts asks. Why was she asking these questions? Belle was more than ashamed to answer them. She just turns her face to the window again, not facing Mrs. Potts anymore, not being capable to answer her. God, what was wrong with her? She rarely was afraid of something or ashamed. She was a strong person. Why couldn't she just speak up?

She could feel a hand in her shoulder and she looks again to Mrs. Potts. "Don't worry, darling. Everything will turn out alright you see. I've been through that a lot."

"T-through what?" Belle asks a little terrified of what she could be referring to.

"Pregnancy… you're with a child, sweetheart." And then everything stopped. Her world frizzed in time and more tears came out from her face. Now she was more afraid than ever. Afraid of what could this turn out to be. If it would be a disaster or the best thing that ever happened to her.

Belle (Storybrooke)

A few hours later, she didn't want to put him in his crib so he could spend the night sleeping there. She wasn't even a day away from him but in those simple hours it seemed like hell to her. A mother without her son or daughter is nothing. That was what Isabelle was in those moments… nothing.

But now everything was okay again. She had finally her little boy back in her arms. Her little boy with those big brown eyes, his round nose, little mouth and tiny hands. Aaron was probably the only thing she could call 'mine'. But it was the best thing she could call 'mine'.

Maybe there was a time when she didn't remember about him; maybe there was a time when she didn't even cared for him because she was too busy being sedated; but right now those days are long gone. Right now there wasn't just her, there was her and Aaron and that little kid was her family, or what was left for her to call family. And that was enough for her. Right now, she could finally look at her son and tell herself 'Aaron was the best thing that ever happened to her'.


End file.
